


Save a Broom: Ride a Quidditch Player

by memento_mori



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, F/M, M/M, Marvel Cameos, Quidditch League AU, Social Media Fic, everyone is ridiculous, glasses!Steve, impaired hearing!Steve
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-07-23
Packaged: 2018-03-13 18:28:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3391760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/memento_mori/pseuds/memento_mori
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers has ninety-nine problems but the Snitch ain't one.</p><p>A professional Quidditch league AU in which no one acts professionally, everyone is in love with Steve Rogers, and the wizarding web just. can't. handle. it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Howling Commandos (2005)

**Author's Note:**

> So I really have no excuse for this fic. The idea of writing a Quidditch AU grabbed hold of me and just refused to let go, and this is what I got. I'm experimenting with the social media format, and so several worldbuilding/background chapters will be set up as such. Next chapter we'll get to the actual characters and plot!
> 
> Unbeta'd. All mistakes are mine.

**BRIGHT FUTURES AHEAD FOR HOWLING COMMANDOS**

by Elizabeth Brant

_It’s been a fantastic year for Quidditch players, but an even better year for the fans. With the sport gaining popularity in America, we’ve seen some incredible new blood enter the most popular Wizarding sport in the world. Some say the Yanks may even be poised to dethrone England as the best at the sport. Of course, one only need look at Peggy Carter - Chaser for the Appleby Arrows, Captain of the National Team, the current world record holder for most goals scored in a season, and an all around badass - to know that is hardly the case._

_But no one can deny that the Americans have talent, especially not with the Howling Commandos still blazing on a trail of glory. The international team boasts the legendary James Montgomery Falsworth and Jacques Dernier, however if it weren’t for these key players, the team couldn’t be considered international at all._

_Quidditch lovers and critics alike laughed when Chester Phillips (see Page 9 for ‘The Man Behind the General: A Look at Phillips’ Career Over the Years) announced his starting roster for his long awaited elite international team. It had long since been announced that Peggy Carter would be his assistant coach, with Abraham Erskine as his recruiter, which left fans with high hopes. When the list was announced, cries of disappointment went up around the world._

_Of the five Americans on the team, only one member - Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan - was known internationally. Jim Morita and Gabe Jones were well known in the North American League, but nowhere else. Yet it was the final two names on the roster that caused the biggest stir._

_James “Bucky” Buchanan Barnes and Steven Grant Rogers. Two boys out of Brooklyn, was what they humbly declared when pressed for comments after the announcement was made. The Chaser and Keeper respectively were virtually unknown, even in the New England League. Before signing with Phillips’ team, the two of them had never played in a professional league. In fact, the seventeen year old boys had never played Quidditch anywhere but the SSR (School of Sorcery Research) - an institution not known for it’s athletic prowess. The idea of not only signing two boys as starting players, but making one of them - Rogers - the Captain of an international team expected to compete at the highest level was absolutely ludicrous. When pressed for answers, Phillips was famous for pulling a face, and insisting reporters speak to his legendary recruiter, Abraham Erskine._

_Unfortunately Erskine died after going into cardiac arrest, the day of the Howling Commandos’ first practice. He would never get to see the team become the veritable powerhouse it is today, but Captain Rogers insists Erskine is with the team every time they fly. Though he would never live to see the success his hand-picked players would earn, all mutterings of Erskine being a “crazy old Squib” were quickly put to rest when the Howling Commandos won their first game against one of the top contenders, Hydra by a score of 230 - 0._

_The legendary emergence of the Howling Commandos was three years ago, and still today the team stands undefeated. All three years the Howlies took home the Infinity Stone - the coveted trophy given annually to the winners of the Infinity International Cup - smashing through records and the hearts of Quidditch fans everywhere._

_No matter how beloved, the Howling Commandos have not been exempt from critique. Both the American heavy presence, and the lack of any female players have come up numerous times in press conferences. Despite the entirely appropriate critique, the Commandos remain the fan favorites, and the International League favorites to take home the Infinity Stone in what would be their fourth consecutive victory._

 

* * *

 

 **The Howling Commandos** @HowlingCommandosOfficial

Coach Carter is whipping her boys into shape! 

 _Retweeted_  by  **Steve Rogers**

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

God Peggy Carter is so cool

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

Oh my god Beth did that just happen?

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

I’m hyperventilating right now

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

I think I might faint…Steve Rogers

 **James Buchanan Barnes**  @buckybear

@broomstix he has that effect on people but he’s just a little punk.

 

* * *

 

**BROTHERS ON BROOMSTICKS**

By Sally Floyd

_For the past two years, people everywhere have been asking themselves the million galleon question: what makes the Howling Commandos tick? To answer that question, one would have to look at what makes any Quidditch team successful. A high quality broomstick is essential, but not strictly necessary, as proven by Johnny Blaze in the 90s. Natural talent always gives a player an advantage, but any Quidditch player with heart could argue with enough training and dedication, the elite is still within grasp._

_Yet good dynamics among team members are impossible to manufacture. It is a fundamental value of the sport, and any Quidditch fan worth their mettle knows it as a fact. A team is only as strong as its bond. It’s in this particular area the Howlies thrive. Not only do they have some of the best Quidditch players in the big leagues - certainly in the Americas - but they have an unshakeable bond._

_Each member of the Howling Commandos was handpicked by the now deceased Abraham Erskine. Though there was little faith in the team at the beginning of their first season, it took a single game to win over most Quidditch fans. It quickly became apparent that the legendary recruiter knew exactly what he was doing when he picked each player. Dugan, Falsworth, and Barnes became overnight legends, appearing to communicate almost telepathically, and scoring a record number of points that first game._

_Yet of all people, it was young Steve Rogers the team seemed to be created around. At 5’7, weighing only 110 pounds, Rogers is one of the smallest Quidditch players in the league, certainly the smallest playing position of Keeper. Within the first half hour of the Howlies’ first game however, Rogers proved that neither he, nor his team were underdogs of any sort. As the Commandos’ Chasers racked up points, Rogers made several dozen successful saves, never letting the Quaffle enter the Commandos hoops, a legendary feat given the team they were facing. In the games to come Rogers would prove his worth not only as a Keeper, but as a Captain, making genius strategical moves, and shaking the Quidditch world with his seemingly impossible stunts. By the time the Howling Commandos finished their first season with roaring success, Barnes was only eighteen years old, and Rogers was still only seventeen._

_Despite the many advantages the Howling Commandos managed to acquire in their players, their biggest advantage to date is the bond between the players. There is an intrinsic understanding these boys share, both on and off the Quidditch pitch. Their camaraderie is as real as their natural talent, and it too shines for the world to see during their games. The familial bond between the seven players has earned them perhaps the most devoted fan base of all the Quidditch teams in any league, rivalled only perhaps by the Peggy Carter fandom. The fact that each member of the team actively interacts with their fans through wizarding social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Livejournal (all established several years before their muggle counterparts) only strengthens the fans’ love of the Howlies._

_There are many factors that go into creating a good Quidditch team. The qualifications for an elite team are even steeper. However at the end of the witching hour, everyone knows that without a strong bond among the players, the team will never fly quite as high._

 

* * *

 

diana ( **commandomod** ) wrote in  **howling_commandos**

@2004-07-02  _08:29 pm UTC_

**Guide to the Howlies Fandom**

Welcome, welcome! So have you fallen for these dashing boys in blue? Drooled over their gorgeous broomsticks and sob-worthy feats of flight? Than you’re going to fit right in! But if you’re feeling a bit lost, this is a good place to start!

If you’ve never been a part of a Quidditch fandom before, there are a couple of things you need to be aware of. The fandom revolves around real life people, which makes things a little different. Write all the fanfiction your heart desires! Draw your favorite players in action! We highly encourage discussion, meta, and fanworks of all kinds, but please for the love of Merlin, DO NOT LINK THEM TO THE PLAYERS. Yes, these guys are celebrities, but they last thing anyone wants is to make one of them uncomfortable with a piece of fanfiction or fanart that someone worked hard on. It’s embarrassing for all parties, and totally unnecessary.

Also, as far as Quidditch fandoms go, we got lucky. Super lucky you guys. The Howling Commandos are known for interacting with fans, they’re great at it. Sure it helps that two of their star players are pretty young, but even Dum Dum Dugan makes a regular Twitter appearance. All of the mods and I have had at least one encounter with the Howlies both on social media and at a meet and greet. They’re really lovely, but try not to forget they’re people. They have off days, they get tired. Being a professional Quidditch player isn’t exactly a walk in the park. They’re human, so they’re probably going to do problematic stuff. If they do, we encourage members of the fandom to call them out on it in a civil and polite way. We’re not making excuses, but we want to be a good community.

 

* * *

 

**brothersonbrooms:**

 

> Foolproof way to figure out if you’re in love. Ask yourself if you look at your special someone the way Bucky Barnes looks at Steve Rogers. If you do, congratulations! You’re stupid in love.

#stucky #bucky barnes #steve rogers #howlies #howling commandos #otp: brooklyn boys

 

**brothersonbrooms:**

 

> Oh my god I cannot even believe how many notes my last post got. But don’t worry, if you know you’re in love and you’re wondering if the person loves you back, finding out is easy.
> 
> Just ask yourself this: do they look at you the way Steve Rogers looks at Bucky Barnes?

#mic drop #stucky #bucky barnes #steve rogers #howlies #howling commandos #otp: brooklyn boys

 

* * *

 

**CARTER'S COMMANDOS**

By Jackson F. Norris

By now we all know the story. It’s the classic underdog tale with a unique spin; the underdogs were never really that downtrodden in the first place. Anyone who follows Quidditch, or has access to the Wizarding World Web, or even the Wizarding Wireless Network knows the success story of the Howling Commandos. But all too often we forget that the success doesn’t just belong to the seven players on the field. There are quite a few other people the Howlies owe their thanks to, and one of them just so happens to be the living legend herself, Peggy Carter.

**Ms. Carter, thank you for taking the chance to meet with me. I have to say, I’m quite the fan of yours.**

The pleasure is all mine Jack. I always love meeting fans, and I’m afraid I haven’t the schedule to quite allow for it nowadays.

**I’m not surprised. You’re a very busy woman. On that note, how do you juggle being the assistant coach for an elite international team, as well as competing in the British League and playing on the National Team?**

Well in the Quidditch world a lot of players experience overlap. There’s so many different tournaments and leagues, and most players compete for more than one team. It’s always been a bit of a struggle to be in three places at once essentially, however thankfully the International Quidditch League maintains a winter-spring season, while the British League flies in the summer and autumn. I am however, handing in my beloved blue robes, and retiring from the Appleby Arrows. With the Quidditch World Cup coming up next year, I plan on limiting myself to the Howlies and the National Team.

**This will be your third World Cup, correct?**

Yes that’s right. I’ll be the acting Captain this year, a great honor that I hope I will not fail in.

**I’m sure no one will be disappointed. Now given your own illustrious career, what has your coaching experience been like?**

In all honesty, a breath of fresh air. I love flying, and I always will. I was born to fly, and I worked very hard to achieve the position I hold today. However I never imagined I would enjoy coaching as much as I did. I have been flying since I was a young child, and never really paused to consider what it would feel like on the other side of the broom, but when Chester Phillips approached me, I could hardly turn him down. The man was a legend, and I had the privilege of attending a session with him before. Of course, as soon as I started to work with him I realized how irksome he was, and what a soft hard he had underneath his hard interior, but no one can deny he is arguably even more brilliant and daunting as a coach than he was as a player.

**How do you feel about the so-called ‘Howlies’?**

I have nothing but respect and praise for the Commandos. They are all dedicated, hardworking men. Both Phillips and I work them hard, but we never hear a word of complaint, the typical empty grumblings aside. They are passionate players, and some of the most talented fliers I have ever had the privilege of working with. I have never seen a team connect the way they have. It’s almost indescribable, watching these men fly. They perfect formations instantly, and one would think they are simply seven limbs of one collective body. It is truly awe inspiring, and something I am pleased and grateful to be a part of.

**Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes were both seventeen when they began playing for the Howling Commandos. Were the three of you able to bond over similar experiences?**

In a way, yes. I was attending practices for England’s national team before my seventh year of Hogwarts was even completed. The Howling Commandos played their first season while Captain Rogers and Mr. Barnes were attending their final year of school. Mr. Barnes had just turned seventeen the previous March, and Captain Rogers turned seventeen the day before tryouts in July. I had enormous amounts of respect for the Captain and his best friend, but not only for their abilities on the Quidditch pitch. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Captain Rogers and Mr. Barnes, as well as the entire team, over the past three years, and have formed incredible bonds with them. I truly consider these men to be lifelong friends of mine.

 

* * *

 

 **rogerthatcap**  reblogged  **brothersonbrooms** :

 

> Okay but like can we please talk about Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes? Like I’m not even talking about shipping right now. I think everyone in the Howlies fandom knows how much I ship Stucky, but real or not, no one can deny that these boys have the most amazing bond in the world. Sure there are shippers out there like me that want to see them together, but if they’re not their friendship is still incredible. They have literally known each other their entire lives. They have stuck with each other through everything and come out stronger than ever before. They literally have an entire Quidditch team based around them. Don’t talk to me about friendship unless you want to talk about Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes

#stucky, #steve rogers, #bucky barnes, #otp: brooklyn boys, #brotp: brothers on brooms

 

* * *

 

Welcome to the Howling Commandos Fan Club!

Welcome to the Commando Club! This organization is dedicated to showing unwavering support to the players, coaches, assistants, and all team members involved in the professional Quidditch team the Howling Commandos. Through this fan club you will be able to gain access to exclusive interviews, signed posters and merchandise, reduced prices, and ticket presales unavailable to the general public. You will receive monthly newsletters containing information regarding upcoming events, meet ups, special announcements, and more. Make sure you’re signed up for our mailing list, and you’ll hear from us regularly.

Howling Commandos Fan Club President,

_Phil Coulson_

 

* * *

 

abigail ( **chasercarter** ) wrote in  **howling_commandos**

@ 2004-11-29  _11:13 pm UTC_

 

_NEW QUIDDITCH POWER COUPLE?_

It appears that Captain Steve Rogers - the Keeper and Captain of the Howling Commandos - and Peggy Carter - Assistant Coach for the Commandos, former Appleby Arrows Chaser, current Chaser and Captain of England’s national team - went on a date this past weekend.

The two were spotted getting quite cozy at a Quidditch game between American Quidditch teams, the Fitchburg Finches and the Sweetwater All-Stars. Rogers was wearing a muggle baseball cap pulled low over his head, and both athletes wore sunglasses to hide their faces.

Rogers has been vocal in his admiration of Carter since he was first signed to play for the Howling Commandos. He has stated in several interviews that he considers Carter to be an inspiration, and one of the reasons he wanted to play Quidditch so badly. Carter, for her part, has sung Rogers’ praises since the formation of the Howling Commandos, claiming to have a close personal friendship with him.

Neither Rogers nor Carter have confirmed whether or not they were on a date, however sources close to both report the two have been growing closer. An insider stated, “They’re definitely interested in each other, but they also have their careers to think about.”

This Friday Rogers and Carter will be attending a press conference regarding the start of the IQL’s season.

[source]

* * *

 tags: P: Steve Rogers, P: Peggy Carter, T: Howling Commandos

 

**378 Comments**

Reply from  **howliescommandos :**

Okay guys, I know everyone has opinions about this, but please remember nothing is confirmed. And even if this story turns out to be true or it’s total bullshit, please be respectful. These are real people we’re talking about, real people who have a right to a real relationship. This is not the place to get into a shipping war, or trash talk either party. Captain Rogers and Coach Carter have always been amazing to their fans, and we don’t want to ruin our reputation in their eyes over an article from the Ghoul Gazette of all things.

Reply from  **applebyofmyeye :**

 

> I completely agree with everything Meredith said. If I see one person talking shit about Peggy Carter I will lacero a bitch.

Reply from  **buckysbroomstick :**

Okay but how is Bucky handling this?

Reply from  **commandokid** **:**

 

> Uh my guess is cheering on his best friend because Peggy Carter is an amazing woman and Rogers is a lucky bastard.

Reply from  **brothersonbrooms** **:**

 

> Since we don’t even know whether or not Peggy and Steve are the real deal everything is pretty much speculation right now, but I agree with Michael. Even if there is/was anything more than friendship between Steve and Bucky, both of them have made it clear that they want each other to be happy. And date or not, Steve looks pretty happy in those pictures, so I’m sure Bucky is happy for his best friend.

 

* * *

 

 **PeggyCarter**  @Peggy Carter

_Fly High - Quidditch Player and Coach_

**Are you and Steve Rogers dating?**

Steve is one of the most important people in my life, and someone I cherish very much. That is all I am choosing to say on the matter

_ 9 minutes ago_

**Are any of the Howling Commandos competing in the Quidditch World Cup?**

James Montgomery Falsworth will be joining me on England’s national team for the second time. Jacques Dernier will also be flying for France, which will be his fourth time on national team. Of the rest of the Howling Commandos, only Timothy Dugan has played during the Cup before. He was invited to come back, however I do not know if he intends to accept the invitation. Since the others have not played on their respective national teams before, if they wish to compete in the World Cup they will have to tryout at the end of the Commandos’ 2004-2005 season.

_ 13 minutes ago_

**How are national teams selected?**

There is a large emphasis on seniority among national teams. Any player who has not expressed desire to retire is invited to join the national team, two years before the World Cup is held. The captain is chosen at that time as well. Of England’s 2002 national team, five players (including myself) were invited to return. Four of us accepted the invitation. To fill the rest of the roster, including substitutes, open tryouts will be held a year prior to the Quidditch World Cup.

_ 2 hours ago_

 

* * *

 

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

Guys, Bucky just looks so sad :( #SaveBuckyBarnes

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

I know, he looks so tired and depressed in every picture. #SaveBuckyBarnes

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

I think the practices and press tours are really starting to take their toll on him <http://bit.ly/1DE4y34> #SaveBuckyBarnes

 **Peggy’s Guy**  @cartersthequeen

Cue all the slash fangirls and their crappy meta about Stucky #Steggyislife

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

@cartersarrows oh look Beth, someone decided to show his face again after he got kicked off LJ.

 **Peggy’s Guy**  @cartersthequeen

Just because I refuse to fetishize and trivialize the relationship between two best friends doesn’t make me any less of a fan.

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

@cartersthequeen You’re right, it doesn’t, but this wasn’t a shipping debate. This was a discussion about how Bucky has looked increasingly

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

depressed in every picture taken this season. Making it about a fandom ship trivializes whatever Bucky is going through right now.

 _Retweeted_  by  **boys on broomsticks**

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

@cartersarrows Well said Beth.

 

* * *

 

 **brothersonbrooms**  reblogged from  **cartersarrows:**

 

> **Anonymous** asked: _Do you ship Steggy or Stucky? Love your blog btw!_
> 
> Though I don’t have everyone of my ships listed in my description (I shudder to think of how long that would make it) I have stated multiple times that I am a multishipper in every sense of the way. It becomes especially tricky with my Quidditch fandoms, because these are actual people, not just fictional characters. So I suppose my primary ship for every Quidditch player is Player x A happy, healthy, consensual relationship. That’s the most important thing for me. These are real human beings, with real emotions and personalities, and honestly they’re more than entitled to their privacy. Sure, they’re celebrities, but they’re celebrities because they play Quidditch. Since the turn of the century, the celebrity status of Quidditch players has really exploded with the introduction and acceptance of social media, in ways that no one ever really predicted or expected. Most Quidditch players have next to no online presence, or if they do it’s highly likely they have handlers running it for them. Yet social media has changed the fandom, and shipping is one of those things where I just can’t say whether it’s for better or for worse.
> 
> I see Stucky. I think it’s safe to say I ‘ship it’. I’ve always been a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, but that’s the thing. Steve and Bucky aren’t a ‘relationship trope’, they’re people. I think they have an incredible dynamic and connection, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if the two of them were a couple, or had been a couple at some point. But you have to be careful because for all we know, the idea never even crossed their minds, and if fans suddenly start becoming insistent that there’s a romantic relationship between the two, it could very well damage their friendship.
> 
> Then there are obvious problems I’ve noticed within the Stucky fandom, especially amidst the rumors of Steve and Peggy dating. I’m honestly a little shocked and disgusted with some of the hatred that’s emerged towards Peggy Carter. Let’s get one thing straight: Peggy Carter is a bamf. She is tied with Viktor Krum as the youngest competitor on a national team in the entire world. As a seventeen year old she was finishing her schooling in addition to practicing with the England national team. She has competed in two World Cups, and will be flying in her third as the Captain in 2006. How many World Cups have Steve and Bucky participated in? How many times have they made the national team? I’m not trying to use this as a way to say Player X is better than Player Y because that’s not really fair. There are so many different leagues and circuits, it just turns into comparing apples to oranges. But I cannot stand when people try to act like Peggy Carter is anything less than a Quidditch legend.
> 
> So now that I’m done with my mini rant about the awesomeness of Peggy Carter, the biggest problem I have with the Stucky fandom, is the idea that ‘Steve is/was in love with Bucky so he can’t be with Peggy’. The two are not mutually exclusive. Steve has never made any comments regarding his sexuality, and no one knows his dating history. This comes across as bi-erasure, and honestly that’s something no fandom needs. I have literally no idea where this ‘Saint Steve Rogers’ meme came from, but it’s a load of unicorn dung. For Merlin’s sake, take a look at Steve’s school disciplinary record! He received more detentions than almost any student to ever attend SSR. He’s stated numerous times that he was always getting into trouble, and Bucky was the one getting him out of it. Steve has made it known a million times over that he sticks up for the little guy, no matter who that is. Do you think Steve Rogers would approve of bi-erasure? Whether he’s bisexual or not is irrelevant. By saying there’s no possible way Steve could ever love a man and then a woman at some point in his life, it’s ignoring the possibility that he is bisexual, or pansexual, or anything other than heterosexual or homosexual.
> 
> This turned into a really big rant that probably didn’t answer your question, but honestly anon, I don’t really have one. I’m a multishipper. I reblog Stucky things, I reblog Steggy things. I consider myself a part of both fandoms, but at the end of the game, I just want to see Steve happy and in a loving relationship with someone that cares about him.

#meta #excellent points #fandom probs #stucky #steggy

 

* * *

 

**HOWLING COMMANDOS: #1 IN THE LEAGUE, #1 IN FANS’ HEARTS**

By Jessica Jones

_It’s not going to come as a surprise to anyone who has been following the Howling Commandos for the past three years, but once again the beloved Howlies are off to a phenomenal start, breaking records and hearts wherever they go. This will be the fourth season for the team, and is rumored to be a season to remember. It has been reported that after this season, Timothy “Dum Dum” Dugan will be hanging up his sacred bowler hat and broom for the last time. He stated it was “high time” he retire from such a dangerous sport, wanting to settle down and spend more time with his family. Indeed, Dugan is the oldest Commando on the team, and one of the oldest players in the league. He confirmed that he is retiring from Quidditch altogether, meaning that he will not be returning to the United States’ national team for the 2006 World Cup._

_However, the much more shocking news came last night on the heels of yet another victory, when Assistant Coach Peggy Carter announced she too would be leaving the Howling Commandos, though not the world of Quidditch. The information startled even the Howlies themselves, leading spectators to deduce the announcement had come as a surprise to the team as well as the public. When questioned later, every player said they were happy for Peggy, and wished her the best with her endeavors. Since the announcement, rumors have been circulating that Peggy may have chosen to step away from the Commandos to form a new team with none other than Howard Stark, the Long Island inventor famous for his work with combining magic and technology. While these rumors have yet to be confirmed, Ms. Carter has been spotted with Stark on several occasions in the past month._

_The news has left many Howlies fans worried, and with good reason. Many believe the team is perfect how it is, and the Commandos certainly have the scores to back up such a claim. Next season will see not only a new player, but a new assistant coach, creating a completely new dynamic for the team renowned for their unshakeable bond. However for every worried fan, there are three more with utter confidence in their favorite team._

_“The Howlies’ status as underdogs was short lived,” stated Phil Coulson, president of the Howling Commandos fan club. “They were on their way to winning before their first season ever started. They’ve managed to overcome every obstacle in their way, and I have complete faith that the changes will only make them stronger next year.”_

_Indeed, even with the news of Dugan’s and Carter’s departure from the team, the Howling Commandos are hardly licking their wounds. Last night’s game against A.I.M. ended 320-40 in the Commandos’ favor. Once again the Commandos are poised to lead the league in points and wins, but will it be enough to earn them a fourth Infinity Stone?_

_If last night’s game is anything to go off of, the answer is a resounding yes._

_Read the full article on WhichBroomstick.com_

 

* * *

 

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

MY BROTHER IS THE BEST PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

I HAVE A TICKET TO THE INFINITY CUP! 

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

Oh my Merlin that’s so exciting!

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

Jordan that’s amazing!

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

YOU MEAN I GET TO SEE MY WIFEY?

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

YES!

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

We need to meet up at some point!

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

Sobbing because I have work with no way to livestream.

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

@rogerthatcap Oh no :( I promise to livetweet it for you Sarah!

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

Merlin I’m jealous, I won’t be at the game but I’ll be livestreaming it!

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

Damn it Michael WE WILL MEET SOMEDAY.

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

IT WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN.

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

Thank Merlin for the power of livestreaming and Howard Stark though.

 

* * *

 

**ANYONE'S GAME**

By Ken Ellis

_With the start of May comes an excitement known only to those who love the Wizarding sport Quidditch. Similar to the thrilling hype in early February for American football fans, or the chaotic excitement of the world every World Cup (football that is), Quidditch Cups are unlike any other sporting event in the world._

_Though the Quidditch World Cup is still a year off, the International Quidditch League is closing its season with a bang, with notorious rivals HYDRA and the Howling Commandos facing off once again on the battlefield, this year taking place in the Swiss Alps. The two teams have been bitter rivals ever since HYDRA’s brutal defeat at the hands of the Commandos during the latter’s first ever game. It was a Quidditch match that went down in the record books, but while it served to boost the Howling Commandos’ egos, it may have only strengthened HYDRA._

_HYDRA has yet to achieve the revenge their players have been wanting for the past three years, however their last tussle with the Commandos during this preseason proved that HYDRA was been the International Quidditch League’s longtime champion for a reason. Unlike last season, during which HYDRA didn’t even make it to the Infinity Cup, the team seems to have strengthened significantly, removing and adding players to the team’s benefit, unlike the Commandos who have been playing the same starting roster since their very first day._

_One wouldn’t say that the Commandos have grown complacent in their victories; quite the opposite. Coach Phillips and Captain Rogers continue to work their team relentlessly. Every player pushes himself to his absolute limits, yet on HYDRA, the members push themselves past their limits. The Howling Commandos have worked hard over the years to maintain their impressive records, however it is HYDRA that has worked to be even better. Though the Howling Commandos and their fans entered the season with the confidence of a team that shattered records for three years in a row, their last encounter with Quidditch powerhouse HYDRA visibly shook them up. The match of course, is still anyone’s game, however if the Howling Commandos are expecting HYDRA to be an easy win, they are in for the wake up call of a lifetime._

 

* * *

 

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

Oh my Merlin, oh my Merlin. 

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

What’s going on?

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

Morgan le Fay I’m going to be sick.

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

What happened? The livestream was focused on Morita, next thing I know Barnes is down.

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

I couldn’t see what happened, but it looked like he got hit with a bludger. Is anyone sitting where they can see him?

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

WHAT? Oh Merlin, please tell me he’s okay!

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

He’s not. I’m down here practically in the snow level, and Barnes isn’t moving.

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

Shit are those the Healers?

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

Oh my god the snow is red. This cannot be happening.

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

Jesus Christ I’m going to be sick. What the hell happened out there?

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

Zola hit a bludger at Bucky. They think the bludger had been tampered with. It hit Bucky’s left shoulder and just exploded.

 **Meredith Swift**  @howlies

Zola’s being taken off the field now by officials. The Healers are getting a stretcher for Bucky.

 **boys on broomsticks**  @thecommandokid

Oh Merlin, look at the rest of the Howlies.

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

Steve looks like he wants to cry, throw up, and punch something all at once.

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

I can’t even believe what’s going on right now.

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

He has to be okay though, right? He’ll make it. He’s Bucky Barnes.

 

* * *

 

**THE COMMANDOS’ LAST HOWL**

By Elizabeth Brant

_The events of the 239th annual Infinity Cup have already gone down in history, and the game ended less than twelve hours ago. Though the two and a half week long game lasted much longer than a typical IQL game (especially a Commandos game), it didn’t break a record for the longest Quidditch game. In fact it didn’t even come close. But the game will go down in history as one of the best and worst Quidditch games of all time._

_The game started out like any other championship Quidditch game. The excitement was high, the rivalry between two teams tense, and the pitch electrified with energy from both the fans and the players. Though the game was held in the Swiss Alps, there was enough exhilaration in the air to warm up the entire pitch._

_Within the first few minutes of the game, it was clear the match would be one for the ages. The Howling Commandos were more than ready to defend their incredible success streak, but HYDRA was out to prove they could claw their way back to the top. In the first fifteen minutes three different injuries occurred, and two players were fouled._

_An hour into the match, the game seemed to have taken a turn for the dangerous. HYDRA players were growing increasingly aggressive, and forcing the Howling Commandos onto the defensive. At one point it looked like Commandos Seeker Jim Morita had spotted the Snitch, but he was forced to swerve in order to avoid a collision with a bludger hit by HYDRA Beater Carmilla Black._

_Then it turned into everyone’s worst nightmare. Ninety minutes into what would prove to be a grueling game, HYDRA Beater Armin Zola hit a Bludger at the Commandos’ star Chaser, James “Bucky” Barnes. The Bludger collided with Barnes’ left shoulder, and exploded upon impact, sending Barnes careening to the ground._

_Chaos erupted, and officials quickly escorted Zola off the field, with clear evidence that he had tampered with the Bludger, intending to inflict harm upon a Howling Commandos player. The emergency timeout lasted fifteen minutes, until Barnes was carried off the field on a stretcher, not yet having regained consciousness. Captain Steve Rogers had to be physically restrained by his teammates, in order to finish out the match._

_What followed would be one of the most exhausting, challenging games I have seen in my career as a sports reporter. Captain Rogers refused to allow a substitute Chaser to enter on behalf of Barnes, a move that most interpreted as a death sentence for the Commandos. However, much to the audience’s shock, the team managed to prove as stubborn and resilient as their Captain. They held out as a snowstorm swept over the Alps, as HYDRA mercilessly barraged them with maneuvers and formations the exhausted Commandos could not keep up with. Both teams were forced to use substitutes at various times throughout the game as it continued to drag on. Captain Rogers was forcibly removed from his position at the hoops on more than one occasion, only resting when he was given no other choice by his teammates and coaches._

_The Snitch was spotted a total of thirty-eight times, with several incredible chases, each Seeker ending up empty handed among the blinding flurry of white snow. As the match crawled into the second week, a certain misery crept in with it. Though there are many Quidditch fans that enjoy long games, especially matches of such caliber as the Commandos vs. HYDRA showdown, two and a half weeks spent in the freezing cold snow would be taxing for anyone. The added tension of James Barnes’ injury and unknown condition only made the atmosphere worse._

_Finally, when the score was 630 Howling Commandos, 480 HYDRA, it appeared that the stalemate might end. Morita and the HYDRA Seeker Jasper Sitwell were in pursuit of the Golden Snitch. In a move that will surely go down in the history books, HYDRA Chasers Johann Schmidt and Wilson Frisk launched a double attack, aiming at the far right hoop. Rogers managed to deflect the shot with a kick, but it turned out to be exactly what the Chasers were planning on. Immediately Schmidt got possession of the Quaffle, and shot for the lowermost hoop on the opposite side. Due to the angle of Rogers’ broom, turning it around to make the save would have been impossible, a fact HYDRA was counting on._

_But no one counted on Steve Rogers leaping off his broom and launching himself at the Quaffle. To the shock and horrified awe of every fan in the stand, Rogers managed to catch the Quaffle mere seconds before it entered the Commandos’ hoop, and a heartbeat before Jasper Sitwell’s hand closed around the Snitch, bringing the final score to 630-620. But no one cared about the score as they watched Rogers fall to the snowy bank below in the move that has now been dubbed ‘The Shield’, or in some areas ‘The Suicide Save’._

_The audience held their collective breaths until the Healer announced Captain Rogers had only suffered minor injuries - a shocking prognosis given the height from which Rogers fell. The celebration began as Rogers was carried off the field, unconscious, but the mood was somber in comparison to the victories from years past. Even the Howling Commandos looked decidedly grim as they left the field, refusing to comment, and making their way straight for Geneva Hospital of Witches and Wizards to visit their fallen teammates._

_What should have been a glorious victory for the Howling Commandos after the game of the century became a nightmare of fear and concern for their fellow players. To the shock of fans and spectators, Coach Phillips announced that the Howling Commandos would not be returning for the next season, though whether the decision is permanent has not been established. At this time no information regarding the state of James Barnes or Steve Rogers has been released._

 

* * *

 

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

Amnesia, oh my god. theoracle.com/JK1qlc7

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

I guess he just checked himself out of the hospital?

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

Apparently he’s going to some fancy high class treatment facility, but guys I just don’t know.

 **boys on broomsticks**  @broomstix

And what’s this about the Commandos disbanding for good? Does anyone know if it’s true???

 **Michael Waverly**  @thecommandokid

@broomstix Merlin I hope not. I know they’re not playing next season, but surely they’ll return?

 **god save the queen**  @cartersarrows

They’ve already lost Dugan and Carter, and we all saw what losing Bucky did to Steve. Can they really take any more?

 **Sarah Duplant**  @rogerthatcap

I don’t even know. I just hope they’re okay.

 

* * *

 

 **The Oracle**  @theoracleofficial

Captain Steve Rogers of the Howling Commandos retiring? theoracle.com/E29a8w7

 **The Oracle**  @theoracleofficial

It has been confirmed that the Howling Commandos have howled their last. theoracle.com/C8iu53a

 

* * *

 

 **Steve Rogers**  @steverogers

I never could dance without a partner, and it just isn’t the same without the right one. Thank you to all my fans. It’s been a great game.


	2. The Press Conference (2015)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness I am absolutely thrilled and amazed at the response this has gotten! I'm overjoyed that even one person wants to read this, so the feedback I've received has just blown me away! I apologize for the delay between updates, and hopefully the next chapter won't take quite as long! Without further ado, let's dig into the plot!

“Steve.”

“I’m not hiding!” Steve blurted out instinctively, avoiding Pepper’s eyes. He didn’t know how people still managed to underestimate the woman. Her talents and formidable skills of organization aside, anyone who could control and tame Tony Stark was clearly more than capable ruling the world. Steve wouldn’t have been surprised if that was some sort of back burner project for her. He would make her campaign buttons if she asked, and not just because he was afraid of her.

“Then why are you under a table Steve?” Pepper asked calmly, and Steve sighed. He knew how this looked; not good. He could practically hear Pepper counting to ten in her head, digging into the special store of patience she probably had reserved for Tony. But Steve would stand by the claim that this was absolutely not his fault.

“I was just looking for a quiet place to relax before the press conference.” Steve admitted quietly. “This was the only one I could find.”

Pepper’s face softened into a look that Steve would have labeled pity, if it had been anyone other than Virginia Potts. She knew how much Steve hated press conferences, and interviews, anything that really put him front and center in the spotlight. He was good at faking it, and always had been, but Steve had never liked the attention. He constantly groused he joined the league to play Quidditch, not to play celebrity. It had been better his first time, when he had Bucky next to him. Bucky who soaked in the attention, and who managed to deflect all the questions that made Steve uncomfortable.

Steve sighed, chiding himself for letting his mind wander down that path. The problem was, Bucky wasn’t on his team anymore. He wasn’t a Commando anymore, he had a new team. And Steve had come to love them as family in the strangest sort of way, but there was no hiding on the Avengers. The sense of camaraderie was completely different, in the fact that Steve fully expected every one of them to toss him to the wolves if the opportunity presented itself. They were like siblings he had never really asked for.

“You know you have a dressing room right?” Pepper offered with a quirk of her lips. Steve couldn’t help but return the smile, shaking his head ruefully.

“And Tony is very much aware of it. The last time I used my dressing room to actually get changed, he stole my clothes and left this ridiculous red white and blue spandex thing.”

Pepper actually laughed out loud at that, her eyes dancing with mirth. Steve grinned at her, mischief tugging his lips into a wider smile. “Tony didn’t really appreciate me coming out in just my towel, but I don’t think the reporters really minded.”

They both knew for a fact they hadn’t. The cameras had gone wild, and within hours Steve was being declared one of the ‘sexiest Quidditch players in the league’. Had it been anyone else Pepper would have had yet another PR mess on her hands, but when she had realized it was Steve of all people, she decided to just let it play out. Steve’s first experience in the league had been when he stood at only 5’7, and weighed 110 pounds. Though it was clear to everyone he had bulked up considerably during his retirement, that was the first glimpse at just how much good his workout regiment had been.

“As much as I would love to give the world another glance at your stunning physique,” Pepper smirked as Steve blushed and squirmed uncomfortably, “we really can’t afford stunts like that today, which I have made clear to Tony at least a dozen times. I can promise you your dressing room is safe. Certainly safer than under the table.”

Steve leveled a look her way. Even though Pepper Potts was the only human being alive capable of talking any sense into Tony Stark, he only listened to her thirty percent of the time, and that was being generous. The chances of him listening to her when she told him not to pull a prank on Steve weren’t even worth calculating.

But as always, Steve realized he had underestimated Pepper, a grievous mistake he would one day learn to rectify.

“Phil is standing guard outside your dressing room door.”

Steve heaved a sigh, both of relief and of resignation. Phil had mellowed out considerably over the past few years, but sometimes he was still too much for Steve. The Brooklyn native respected him and admired him immensely, and the other man’s origin story never failed to bring a smile to his face. But Phil was still the same man who had been President of the Howling Commandos and Steve Rogers fan clubs. He was remarkably efficient and a talented Quidditch player, but sometimes his hero worship was just a little too much for Steve. But when it came to warding off the antics of one Tony Stark, there was no one else Steve would rather have in his corner.

Of course, there was, but that was still too painful for Steve to think about for any lengths of time.

“You’re a goddess Pep.” Steve said seriously, rising to his feet to press a kiss to her cheek. He winced as blood returned to his legs, and decided crawling under the table really had been a terrible decision. Pepper smiled at him indulgently, before shooing him off in the direction of his dressing room. There was still plenty of time to kill before the press conference, and Steve needed to spend every second of that relaxing and keeping panic out of his mind. He didn’t have a set routine like Bruce did, but usually drawing helped set his mind at ease before he was forced into the spotlight again.

Sending one last wave to Pepper, Steve shoved his hands in his pockets and began meandering towards his dressing room. When he heard Pepper’s voice raise, and the telltale sound of Tony’s whining, a small grin made itself visible on Steve’s face.

He hadn’t really asked for this “family”, but he was glad he had them.

 

* * *

**From:** potts@starkindustries.org

 **To:** mgarner@sanfpost.org, burich@dailybugle.org, kkiernan@inquisitor.org **+12 more**

 **Subject:** Press Conference

 

To whom it may concern,

It is with great pleasure I announce the Avengers International Quidditch Team will be holding a press conference on Saturday April, 17 before the Infinity Cup Championship Match on May 1. All members of the Quidditch team will be present to answer questions about the past season, and future goals, both for the team and individual careers.

The Avengers will not be taking questions about their personal lives and relationships. Each of them have expressed a desire to keep such relationships out of the media, and we wish to honor their wishes. Please see the attached file for subjects that will not be allowed at the conference.

In order for this event to remain as efficient and secure as possible, it is by invitation only. You will be mailed your clearance badges. Without these you will not be allowed into the press conference. Please RSPV as soon as possible if you will be attending the press event.

Regards,

_Virginia Potts_

CEO, Stark Industries

Public Relations Manager, Avengers International Quidditch Team

 

* * *

“Christine Everhart, Witch Weekly. My question is for Natasha.”

Steve liked to think in the years since he first began playing professional Quidditch, his acting abilities had undergone vast improvements. Peggy had told him as much, and she was never one to mince her words to save his ego. He managed to keep a straight face and clamp down on the urge to sigh, but his abilities were nothing on Natasha’s. Her face was an expresionless mask, even though he knew the entire team had the same thought, some - Tony - not even bothering to hide it. Natasha simply inclined her head, gesturing for the reporter to ask her question.

“What advice would you give to all the girls and women aspiring to be Quidditch players in what’s considered to be an extremely male dominated business?”

Unlike Natasha who gave no indication of surprise, Steve couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his lips, nor did he want to. The reporter, Christine Everhart, wore a smile that seemed to be almost smug, and Steve couldn’t blame her. Next to him Tony’s jaw had dropped, and he immediately began muttering to Bruce. Steve was pretty sure this was the reporter who had some sort of history with Tony, but clearly she wasn’t made of pure evil and gossip like Tony had tried to convince them. Anyone who skipped over questions about Natasha’s hair care regimen and went straight to empowering women was alright in Steve’s books.

“I’d say to keep flying. Or if they haven’t started, it’s never too late. It won’t be easy, but nothing worth it ever is. There are lots of reasons why Quidditch is a sport that’s so male dominated, and unfortunately one of those reasons is that not enough women actually go for it.”

Steve hid his grin in his hand, disguising the action as scratching at his nose. Natasha’s voice was cool and calm as ever, but Steve had built up a close enough relationship with her to detect the passion behind her words. He could see the way her expression would soften a miniscule amount any time she had young female fans looking at her with adoration. She wanted them to succeed, but Natasha wasn’t a coddler.

“Jameson, Daily Bugle. Question for Captain Rogers!”

This time Steve just barely managed to hide his wince as the familiar voice barked at him. They were all familiar with the Daily Bugle, and had all come under fire from the newspaper at one point or another. The reporter in question seemed to have something against Quidditch players, preferring to paint them as villains. Though he didn’t seem to hold as much of a grudge against the Avengers as he did the Acromantulas, no one liked being questioned by him, especially not Steve. But there was nothing else he could do but wave his hand, allowing the question to be asked.

“Since you don’t seem to stick to one thing these days, what position can we expect to see you playing in the Infinity Cup?”

Steve bristled at the brusque tone of the reporter, breathing through his nose and fighting to keep his emotions under control. His fingers clenched into a tight fist under the table and out of sight from the cameras. He was fairly sure he would find several half moon indentions when the press conference drew to a close.

To anyone who hadn’t followed Steve’s career and personal life, the question would seem innocuous. Strange, perhaps, to ask the Captain of an international Quidditch team what position he would be playing, but certainly not offensive. But Steve knew better.

He knew it was intended to be a slight, either at Steve’s public announcement that he was bisexual, or the fact that he had left SHIELD and the American circuit altogether, choosing to stick to just the Avengers. Either way, Jameson made it quite clear what he thought about Steve’s inability to “stick to one thing”.

“I’ll be playing Chaser, like I have all season, and for the past year and a half.” Steve was proud of himself for keeping his voice emotionless, but cold and disapproving all the same. He could have sworn he saw Natasha smirk out the corner of his eye, but he would never know for sure.

“Max Igoe, also with the Daily Bugle. Captain Rogers, speaking of your change in position, what were your motivations for switching when you have been said to be the best Keeper in decades?”

This time Steve sighed out loud and made sure the cameras saw it. He had lost track of how many times he had been asked that in the past eighteen months, but he was positive journalists across the world had exhausted the perspectives they could take on it.

“I was brought onto the Avengers and then SHIELD as a Keeper yes, but everyone knew my heart wasn’t really in it. A good Quidditch player has to be versatile, and I had plenty of practice as a Chaser too. It’s been proven over and over again that a good Quidditch team is all about the right dynamics, and me being the Keeper just wasn’t working out. We had a successful season, but everyone could tell we just weren’t clicking. By the time I started playing with SHIELD, I was looking for something different, and my colleague Natasha suggested moving from defense to offense. I’ll always love playing Keeper, but that was part of my past with a different team.” Steve’s tone was blunt, and betrayed none of the inner turmoil he still underwent whenever he thought about his decision to switch positions. “Besides, Bruce is more comfortable as a Keeper, and he does an amazing job at it.”

He shot Bruce a smile, who simply shook his head in that self-deprecating manner of his, and returned a small grin of his own. Steve could tell that the reporter wanted to press for further details, but his tone had brokered no room for continuation, and so the forum moved onto the next question.

A reporter from some newspaper Steve didn’t remember the name of asked Bruce and Tony about the schematics of the teams’ broomsticks, and they immediately launched into a long winded speech that was equal parts boastful, and equal parts reverent. Steve grinned, before zoning out slightly, like he usually did whenever his teammates started talking mechanical magic.

Feeling a poke on his right side, Steve glanced over at Sam who immediately leaned in close and whispered in Steve’s ear.

“Man I’ve been whomping my willow thinking about you.”

Steve couldn’t stop the bark of laughter, and quickly grabbed his water bottle and chugged it down, ignoring the nasty glare Tony sent his way. He couldn’t stop grinning, and he was positive Sam looked like a smug fool next to him, smirking like the cat that snatched the cream.

Sam had been one of the first friends Steve made since returning to the Quidditch world, and they had developed an easy camaraderie, even before Sam filled in on SHIELD. Somewhere along the line, Sam caught onto the fact that the world seemed to think of Steve as this innocent angel that didn’t know the first thing about sex, and ever since then the two of them had been trading the most ridiculous dirty jokes the two of them could conceive.

The rules were simple: nowhere was safe, and if the other person laughed, he lost. The more ridiculous the line, the better. Normally Steve was pretty good about keeping his cool, and Sam was definitely losing their endless game, but that line had been so terrible and so unexpected that Steve couldn’t have controlled his laughter even if he wanted to. At least it had shut Tony up.

“Careful boys,” Natasha drawled from the end of the long panel table, “If you keep giving the shippers stuff like that to gif, they’ll start to think you want to be on Tumblr or something.”

Steve blanched. He was familiar with Tumblr and most forms of social media. On numerous occasions he had accredited social media for at least half his fame for Merlin’s sake. He loved his fans, and he was always interested in seeing how they chose to express themselves and their appreciation, but Tumblr was a fairly scary place, especially when it came to shipping. He would know. Not to mention the idea of Steve and Sam in a relationship made Steve cringe. Not that Sam wasn’t good looking, or a great person, but Steve still was determinedly avoiding talk of relationships and his love life.

Not to mention Sam was in a happy relationship with Natasha, and if she ever even thought the two of them wanted to try something, she would insist on getting to watch.

He was grateful though, for both Sam and Natasha. They had managed to lighten the mood, loosen him up after Jameson’s question had left him tense and testy. He felt relaxed enough to gesture to Christine Everhart, the same reporter who asked Natasha about being a role model.

“So Captain Rogers, how do you feel about facing your longtime friend and teammate “Bucky” Barnes on the opposite end of the Quidditch Pitch?”

Steve’s smile immediately dropped, and in that instance he took back every nice thing he had thought about Christine Everhart. On the stage it was pandemonium as Sam protested loudly, and Tony began shouting obnoxiously. Natasha was glaring without a word, but just that seemed to speak louder than any words she could hurl at the reporter.

He knew for a fact Bucky was one of the topics that was explicitly banned. He didn’t talk about Bucky in interviews, and he had always made that clear. Bucky was a forbidden topic, just like the disaster with SHIELD. Just like how Natasha refused to talk about her time with the Widows, or how Tony refused to talk about his father. There were some things that people just did not talk about, and celebrities were no different.

Within moments Pepper appeared on stage, as graceful and composed as ever. She quickly announced that the press conference was over, and the players needed to meet their fans. Steve felt like he was numb as he was smoothly ushered off the stage, feeling his teammates’ worried glances on his back. Thankfully no one asked how he was doing. He didn’t want to have to answer them.

He was fine.

 

* * *

**god save the queen** (Beth) @ cartersarrows

That was just painful.

 

 **Meredith Swift** @ howlies

Merlin I know.

 

 **boys on broomsticks** (Jordan) @ broomstix

I was rooting for you Everhart! We were all rooting for you!

 

 **boys on broomsticks** (Jordan) @ broomstix

Seriously though, did you see his face when she brought up Bucky? I thought he was going to cry.

 

 **Sarah Duplant** @ rogerthatcap

*I* almost cried.

 

 **Peggy’s Guy** (Ethan) @ cartersthequeen

Will you shippers ever gtfo

 

 **boys on broomsticks** (Jordan) @ broomstix

Will you ever leave the fandom? @cartersthequeen

 

 **god save the queen** (Beth) @ cartersarrows

You don’t have to be a shipper to sympathize with a man who is very obviously dealing with a lot.

 

 **Meredith Swift** @ howlies

At least he’s got his team. They’ll never be the Commandos, but thank Merlin for @SamWilson

 

 **boys on broomsticks** (Jordan) @ broomstix

@SamWilson is a gift. Take care of our boy.

 

 **Sam Wilson** @ SamWilson

@broomstix I’ll try.

 

* * *

 

 

“You’re not fine, so don’t even try that with me man.”

Steve sighed. He supposed he should have expected Sam to ambush him outside his dressing room, but that didn’t mean he was prepared for it. He had opened the door and almost walked straight into the other man, before realizing Sam was indeed standing outside the door with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I don’t want to talk about it Sam.”

He avoided looking his friend in the eye, knowing from experience that it would just turn into a staredown between them, with no one really winning. But Steve tended to project more than he wanted do in those staring contests, and he didn’t want Sam to read his mind. He was pretty sure at this point that his friend was an accomplished Legilimens, but Sam would just roll his eyes whenever Steve accused him of such.

“Well you’re going to need to talk about it. And soon. You’ve just been bottling all of this up the whole season. I’m worried about you man. I mean sure, now you’ve got the team and training and everything, but what happens when the season’s over and everyone goes home? You left SHIELD and you said you’re not going back to the league. You’re going to let this thing fester and the outcome isn’t going to be pretty.”

Steve sighed. The worst part about this whole thing was knowing that Sam was right. He was letting this eat him alive, but he didn’t know how to make it stop. He couldn’t turn off the voices in his head, couldn’t make himself forget, much as he wanted to close his eyes and never think about it again.

_“Who the hell is Bucky?”_

“You’re doing it again.” Sam said evenly, watching Steve carefully, and for what felt like the millionth time that day, he heaved a sigh, raking a hand through his blonde hair. It was different now, more modern he supposed. It was no longer combed neatly to one side. When he joined SHIELD, Natasha had taken one look at him and rolled her eyes. It took all of ten seconds with her wand to “fix” his hair, and Steve found he didn’t completely hate it. He liked it even, and since his entire personal life and professional career seemed to be under a reconstruction of sorts, he decided to keep it.

“Look, you’re right.” Steve figured honesty was the best policy, and he knew there would be no fooling Sam anyways. “I know I need to deal with this and I will. Really I will. But not two weeks away from the championship. Right now I need to have my head in the game, and I can’t afford distractions like this. It isn’t something I can go into halfhearted.”

It was Sam’s turn to sigh, and Steve knew he had him. Sam knew that the former Keeper was right. Of course the whole team wanted to make sure that Steve was doing alright, but the Avengers had only suffered one loss in the entire season. The last team to have a record that good had been the Howling Commandos. Steve definitely wasn’t as fine as he wanted everyone to think, but he wasn’t letting it deter him from the mission at hand.

Still, since the one match they lost was shaping up to be the rematch event of a century, fans were more than a little concerned.

“I’m just worried about you Steve.” Sam said softly, reaching out to grasp Steve’s shoulder. “You carry too much weight on these abnormally broad shoulders.” Steve cracked a grin at that. “I just think you’re trying to carry too much, and it’s already starting to weigh you down. Before you know it, you’re going to be falling out of the sky.”

Steve met Sam’s eyes, and tried to give him a reassuring grin. “Probably. But I know now Sam.” His voice was serious and imploring. “I know you guys will be there to catch me.” It was important for Steve to vocalize, because he hadn’t always known it. He hadn’t always known that his team would go to bat for him, just like he’d lay down on the live wire for them. The relief that came with trusting people once again was incredible, and set Steve at ease.

The moment of camaraderie and friendship lingered between them for a moment, before the telltale sound of Tony Stark reached their ears.

“Aw Bruce, look. These two dimwits think their bromance is cuter than ours. Isn’t that sweet? I ship it, it’s my new brotp.”

Bruce and Steve rolled their eyes simultaneously, while Sam just chuckled and took a step back. The rest of the team was meandering slightly behind Tony, chatting quietly among themselves and paying the genius no real attention.

“You know Stark, I think I remember reading somewhere on Tumblr that the word brotp is actually pretty problematic.”

Tony immediately narrowed his eyes at Steve, appraising him with suspicion. “How do you know what Tumblr is? Is this a thing? Do you have a Tumblr?”

Steve rolled his eyes again and started to feel a dull pounding making its presence known in the back of his head. He wondered if Pepper got migraines from dealing with Tony all the time. She probably did. He made a mental note to send her a gift basket with some of his favorite relaxing scents in it.

“Tony you realize that pretty much the only reason people care about me is because of Tumblr right?”

From behind Tony, Clint scoffed. “Oh sure, that’s it Rogers. I’m sure it has nothing to do with being on a legendary team, or a legend yourself. Nothing at all to do with your statistics or the fact that you look like you walked straight out of some All American porn video.”

Despite the far from innocent game he and Sam enjoyed so much, it was fairly easy to make Steve blush, even if he wasn’t all that embarrassed. He was almost positive it was the reason behind the perpetuated, “blushing virgin” myth about him, but he still turned red at Clint’s words.

“Okay first of all I definitely didn’t look like this when I first started playing Quidditch and you know that. I was a tiny stick figure that no one would look twice now. Everyone thought I was the Seeker and Erskine was just having it on by telling them I was the Keeper.”

“That’s not true, there are plenty of people who like the twinky sort.” Tony interjected jovially. Sam and Steve simply glared at him, while Pepper pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Do we need to have another lecture on what is appropriate and what is offensive to say in public?” She hissed with no real venom, just exasperation behind her words. Oh yeah, Steve was definitely sending her a gift basket.

Tony pouted, but Steve shook his head. “I know my statistics were good, I’m not saying we didn’t earn our reputations, but the Howling Commandos fans tended to be younger, which meant they were more social media savvy. We wanted to interact with them, and so we hopped on the Stark social media bandwagon too.”

Bruce nodded sagely. “It makes sense. You guys were a new team in a pretty established international league. You got most of the younger generation that didn’t feel a strong connection with one particular team, and you guys made a pretty great underdog story.”

Steve shrugged, slightly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going. It wasn’t that he minded talking about his old team, but it was still hard. And standing in the middle of a hallway with his new team gathered around, Steve couldn’t help but feel this wasn’t really the time or the place for it. He found himself wishing someone would say something to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“You have a Tumblr don’t you?” Tony asked with a smirk, pointing accusingly at Steve, who had to utilize every ounce of self control to keep himself from squirming uncomfortably under the Beater’s shrewd gaze. “You’re the one hogging the Steve Rogers url!”

Thankfully it was Natasha who intervened with a dry snort. “Oh please. That url sold for three hundred galleons. Like Steve would ever spend that much money on his own name.” Steve’s jaw dropped slightly and Tony pouted. He knew the previous owner of the url with his name had put it up for sale when he came out of retirement, but he never imagined it would have raked in that sort of profit.

“Three hundred galleons? Mine only sold for a hundred!” Tony whined, and the team just stared at him.

“You totally bought your own url didn’t you Tony?” Clint asked with a smirk. The billionaire’s pout deepened, and the rest of the team groaned while Thor let out a hearty chuckle. “And you were going to make fun of Steve for having a tumblr you hypocrite.”

“Hey now,” Tony protested, though even Pepper looked like she was suppressing a smile next to him, “I don’t actually use it. I just couldn’t let anyone else have it!”

He couldn’t help it. Steve tilted his head back and let out a loud peal of laughter, letting the feeling spread throughout his body. Apparently either Tony’s antics or the sight of Steve enjoying himself so thoroughly was contagious, and the entire team was laughing in seconds. Even Natasha had let her mask of cool indifference slip long enough to chortle at their teammate’s expense.

“At least the person with the Steve Rogers url actually uses it.” She pointed out, which had Steve looking at her speculatively. He glanced at Sam who shrugged, as if telling him there was nothing to lose by asking.

“Natasha, how do you know all of this?”

The grin she shot Steve was wicked and full of mischief. “They’re a pretty big SteveNat shipper,” she stated as nonchalantly as if she were telling them where she got her manicure. Though come to think of it, that secret was probably guarded better than most of Tony’s new broom designs.

Steve struggled to keep his reaction neutral. He didn’t want to show any disinterest and offend Natasha, but he certainly wasn’t interested. If he wasn’t in such an emotional conundrum, and if she wasn’t dating his closest friend, he would probably be interested. She was beautiful and could kill him easily. That had always been his type. But her secrets had secrets, while Steve was an open book. He just didn’t see it lasting between the two of them, and preferred her as a good friend.

Thankfully Pepper saved him once again, from forming any sort of response. “I do hate to break this up, but the meet and greet starts in about five minutes, so we should probably head down to the tables to get set up.”

The team agreed, and Steve finally stepped out of the doorway, grabbing his phone and his keys before shutting and locking the door to his dressing room. The others began walking down the hallway, however Thor lingered slightly behind, clearly wanting to talk to Steve.

This time Steve managed to internalize his sigh. He had suspected Thor would want to talk to him after what happened during the press conference, and admittedly he was not looking forward to it. He had a feeling he knew what Thor was going to say, and he just wasn’t ready to hear it.

“Steven. I wanted to make certain you are faring well after the publicity event. I have been meaning to speak with you for some time now, but could not seem to catch you when you were available.”

Immediately he felt guilty, and shifted uncomfortably on the spot. Thor was a nice guy, and much smarter than the tabloids ever gave him credit for. They took one look at the Beater and his beloved bat, Mjolnir, and they assumed he was big, blonde, and dumb. Steve had his fair share of those assumptions as well, but instead of snapping back angrily like Steve, Thor just laughed easily and let the matter drop, letting the assumptions stand. Even among the team, it was sometimes easy to forget that Thor was highly intelligent, and could keep up with Bruce and Tony and their broom babble as easily as he could follow his fiance, an Astronomer of extremely high caliber. Any attempts made to avoid Thor would have been completely obvious, and it would be an insult to his friend to try and dismiss his observations with some half hearted excuse. So instead Steve simply nodded, waiting for Thor to speak his mind.

“I know what it is like to face a former brother of the broom in battle,” he began, and Steve had to take a moment to appreciate Thor’s way of speaking. Steve had been to Norway enough times to know that Thor’s speech patterns were not reflective of the nation as a whole, but rather the small village of Asgard he had been born in.

“I understand the struggle you must be facing right now. More so than others even. I know in matters like this, rarely does the conflict end the moment your feet touch the earth.”

This was exactly the reason why Steve hadn’t wanted to talk to Thor. He was perceptive, like Sam. Sam gently nudged, and sometimes pushed, but he didn’t understand. Steve would never diminish the fact that Sam had gone through his own share of hardships in the sport, far more than he ever let on. Sam was an amazing friend, and a constant pillar of support. But he had never been in this situation before. He didn’t know exactly what Steve was feeling. Thor did. Thor got it on a level that none of their other teammates seemed to comprehend, and the knowledge was like a raw pain in Steve’s heart. He didn’t want to think about it, and didn’t want to think about what that meant for him. But he knew the couldn’t avoid it for much longer.

“You are a strong warrior Steven. You have great courage, and are a great leader, but your heart is greater still. I only worry that it may be hurt.”

Steve’s chest was feeling tight and constricted, like it did whenever he was on the verge of having an asthma attack, and he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have an inhaler on him, he hadn’t needed one in years. He didn’t know what his face looked like, but surely he looked like he was about to be sick, for Thor placed a hand on his left shoulder in a calming gesture.

“Peace Captain. I only meant to express my sympathy and my concerns for your wellbeing. It will become easier with time, of that I can assure you.”

He wanted to scream in protest. Steve didn’t want it to get easier, he wanted it to get better. He didn’t want the pain like a sharp knife in his chest to dull to a rusty blade. He didn’t want to move on slowly and painfully. He wanted the knife out, whether he bled out or not. He wanted the pain to be gone, and he knew there was only one way that would happen.

But he couldn’t share any of this with Thor. The taller blonde may have been in the unique position of understanding what Steve was dealing with at the moment, but it still wasn’t the same. It couldn’t be the same.

Still, Steve forced a smile on his face and looked at Thor with sincerity in his eyes. “Thank you Thor. That means a lot to me. If I need to talk I appreciate that you’ll be there for me.” He liked to think he had learned some subtlety after all the time spent with Natasha, and Thor clearly picked up on it, smiling brightly and squeezing Steve’s shoulder in a friendly gesture. The two made their way down to the room they would be meeting fans in, and immediately grinned widely at the applause when they walked in.

Later as Steve smiled widely at a little girl with copper colored ringlets who informed him very seriously that he was only her favorite because “Peggy Carter said you’re her favorite, and I want to be Peggy Carter when I grow up”, he realized he hadn’t really lied to Sam. His friend was right, he wasn’t fine.

But he was getting there.

 

* * *

Isabella ( **canuknot** ) wrote in **snitch_sightings**

 **@ 2015-04-18 ** _12:24 pm UTC_

Okay so I know the community rules state that public events like yesterday’s press conference don’t really count as Quidditch player “sightings”, but I really had to share my experience, and I think the mods will agree with me that this definitely wasn’t an ordinary meet and greet event.

Admittedly I’m not very active in the actual fandom side of Quidditch, but I am a devoted Avengers fan. I wasn’t a Howling Commandos fan (I have to show my loyalty to my beloved X-Men), but I always found myself in awe of one Steve Rogers, just like a lot of people. He was the kind of person you still wanted to succeed, even when your team was losing. Though I still support the X-Men, I found myself rooting for Arc Reactor. Tony Stark is a character, let me tell you, and I greatly admire Pepper Potts. So when I found out that Tony Stark and Steve Rogers would be playing on a team together with the legendary Black Widow, I gave in. The X-Men will always have a special place in my heart, but the Avengers are my team. I try to go to as many games as I can, and I was lucky enough to see them win the Championship two years ago. I wish they would have played last year, but I know they needed a break.

I was hoping I would have been able to go to the game this year, but what with money being kind of tight, and being unable to take off work for the event (especially since employers are so hesitant about giving Quidditch related time off ever since that showdown in ‘05) I knew it just wasn’t in the cards for me.

However I am in a committed relationship with the most wonderful woman in the world, and she got the two of us tickets for the Avengers meet and greet. I was completely thrilled, and any disappointment I otherwise might have felt was completely gone.

So we get to the convention center and find that it’s completely packed. I shouldn’t have been surprised, because on their own, each of the Avengers players has a pretty big fanbase, and to have all seven of them in one place is actually pretty rare. Not to mention we’re in the most populated city in the world, and everyone wants the chance to meet the Avengers.

I didn’t find out until a little later that day that there was going to be a press conference before the meet and greet. As we were waiting in line, I was scrolling through my phone, and decided to check Tumblr, to see what happened in the press conference. Now I use my Tumblr mostly for signal boosting and posting pretty hipster aesthetic stuff, but even my dash had some mention of there being drama at the conference. I didn’t really get any concrete details, but I saw something about Steve being upset, and sure enough when we got close enough so that I could see him (and by that I mean on the opposite side of the room), I could tell he didn’t look as happy as he normally did. My stomach just sank.

Steve Rogers is a really important person to me. I never really saw the Howling Commandos as an underdog like everyone else, but Steve Rogers definitely was to me. He was skinny and sickly, and never backed down from his convictions. He stood up for the little guys like him, and knew when to stand down to let others shine. He was a champion of women’s rights, of more funding and representation for people of color, disabled people...name a marginalized group and he fought for them. Now a few years later he doesn’t look like that same little guy, but he is. He’s mentioned several times that he still wears glasses or contacts, and he still needs his hearing aids - they just got smaller. He said he still has asthma, but medication has gotten better. He continues to fight for oppressed groups, he stands up and says that mental illness is a legitimate disease and needs to be treated as such.

And then just when I thought he couldn’t get any better, he came out as bisexual.

Now to someone like me, a bisexual woman of color who struggles with depression, I thought my heart was going to burst that day. All my life I’ve had people asking me why I can’t just “pick one”, or if I’m going through a “phase”. Even my family, who is a lot better and more accepting than some families, still don’t really get it. My mom constantly refers to me as a lesbian, and it just hurts. But when Steve came out, my brother, who hadn’t looked at me the same since I told him I was dating a girl, called me that night. We talked for hours, and he admitted that seeing someone like Steve Rogers come out and say bisexuality was real, it made him at least stop and think.

(This morning I found out what that reporter said to him, and honestly I was appalled, but not surprised. What do you expect from the Daily Bugle?)

Needless to say, I was excited to meet Steve, and more than a little anxious. I don’t do well in crowds, and it was kind of hitting me that I was about to meet my idol. Before I knew it, I was having a panic attack and my girlfriend was pulling me into the hallway to give me some space to breathe. I don’t know how long I was out there but nothing was helping and I could tell that my girlfriend was getting really worried, which just stressed me out even more.

But then this guy started talking to me. He didn’t get close to me, didn’t try to touch me, he just started talking calmly about what he had for breakfast that morning. He must have talked for at least five minutes before I was finally able to calm down. When I did, I realized that Steve Rogers was kneeling on the ground next to me, helping me through a panic attack. When he saw that I was okay he asked Sam Wilson - Sam Wilson! - to get me a water bottle. He sat out in the hallway talking to me for about ten minutes, just talking. I admitted what he meant to me, and how amazing he was, and he looked like he almost got choked up. He paused for a really long time, before giving me a hug and telling me that I was so brave.

The important thing about Quidditch players I think, is that we remember they’re more than just amazing athletes. They’re role models and celebrities too. Beyond which team you support, or what colors you fly, the Quidditch players really influence people’s lives, and I hope everyone has a Quidditch hero who’s as great as mine.

 ****  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for taking the time to read this! If you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate any feedback or kudos, as they definitely motivate me to write faster!


	3. The Arc Reactor (2008)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every great Quidditch team has a great origin story.
> 
> The Arc Reactor's just so happens to be the best, in Tony Stark's not so humble opinion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow once again I took forever to update. I offer no excuses, just an apology and the sincere hope that you like this chapter! It's some more worldbuilding and some history on Tony!

**Stark’s (Im)Possible Peace Mission**

_By Christine Everhart_

As the world is undoubtedly already aware, today Anthony Stark departed from his Malibu home to Afghanistan, where he will be giving a demonstration to the American Magical Peacekeeping Forces currently stationed there. However before he departed I managed to acquire an exclusive interview on the billionaire that has made his fortune on the lives of others across the globe.

Stark is hailed in the media as a legendary figure who somehow balances an infamous party life with sheer genius that goes into every spell developed by his company, Stark Industries. He is considered to be a loveable character, just eccentric and strange enough to have won the adoration of many individuals on a worldwide scale. Stark even has his own fandom, something typically reserved for Quidditch players or fictional characters.

Despite the obvious love for Tony Stark, his actions beg the question: when will the genius be held accountable for his actions? Though our magical forces are simply in Afghanistan to serve as a peacekeeping body for our Muggle brothers in arms, the spells and technology spearheaded by Stark Industries seems to have been growing increasingly more battle oriented, a far cry from the social media Howard Stark seemed to make his signature spells before his eventual retirement.

Though Howard Stark developed his fair share of spells for the offensive, it is generally understood that Tony Stark has long surpassed his father’s genius, and has gone on to become the pioneer of spell creation. Yet Stark has always shown a greater interest in whatever party he’s throwing, or which beautiful woman has captured his attention; is that the type of personality we want to be responsible for either saving or ending lives with his focused genius? But until we as a nation are ready to hold Stark and other developers such as Justin Hammer to a standard of checks and balances, we will have to watch other nations face the consequences.

 

* * *

 

 

isaac ( **starknewsmod** ) posted in **starknews**

@2008-05-19 7:36 pm UTC

At approximately nine this morning, spell inventor and CEO of Stark Industries, Anthony “Tony” Stark was attacked while travelling to a private airfield in Afghanistan. Stark had been visiting Afghanistan to give a demonstration of his latest offensive spell, coined the “Jericho”. Stark’s convoy was attacked while en route. Seven casualties were reported, and both the American muggle military and the wizarding peacekeepers are searching for Stark.

It is believed he was kidnapped by a group of professionals, known as the Ten Rings.

 

**3987 Comments**

 

* * *

 

 

**Stark Shocks World**

_By Jessica Jones_

Billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist. Plenty of words have been attributed to one Anthony Stark over the years, but never has “owner of a Quidditch Team” been among them. In fact, Stark has professed a deep hatred and fear of flying on numerous other occasions, and an extreme distaste for Quidditch players.

Tony Stark has been headlining papers since the day he was born. The son of legendary inventor Howard Stark and his wife Maria, Tony has proved to be just as brilliant as his father, even surpassing him in several respects. Howard Stark founded Stark Industries at twenty-one years of age, a company dedicated to creating new offensive and defensive spells. Spell creation has always been a difficult and dangerous task, but Howard Stark managed to monopolize and profit from it, while his son turned it into a veritable empire.

However, while the chocolate frog didn’t hop far from it’s father in some cases, Quidditch was definitely not something Howard and Tony shared, and according to many sources, caused noticeable friction between the two Starks. Though Howard Stark had made his fortune in spell creation, he dabbled in other areas, particularly in the development of the social media frontier, and following the American Quidditch League. In fact, in 2002, the senior Stark would leave his entire company to his son, when he came into ownership with Wizarding Senator Michael Brandt, of a brand new International Quidditch team, the Howling Commandos.

Though Tony Stark never divulged his emotional headspace of the time, many have come to the conclusion that the entrepreneur did not handle it well. Tony Stark had already spent most of his partying and throwing around his money, and when he came into full ownership of Stark Industries as his father went to watch Quidditch, the partying only continued, more obvious and extravagant than ever.

Many have speculated on the relationship between father and son for years, but it didn’t take a genius of Stark proportions to see the tension between Tony and Howard, and the bad blood was only exacerbated when Howard and Maria Stark died in a car crash last year. The fact of the matter is Tony Stark has loudly proclaimed his hatred of Quidditch on many occasions, and only whether that hatred has anything to do with Howard Stark is contested.

Nevertheless, he has issued a statement declaring his intentions of starting a professional Quidditch team to play in the AQL, only twenty-four hours after his return from Afghanistan, where he was held prisoner by a sect of Death Eater revivalists for three months. His announcement was only one of the many surprises reporters had in store for them at the press conference, held sitting on the ground as Stark ate a cheeseburger, and revealed that Stark Industries would no longer be in the spell creation business.

The jury is still out on whether this is an infamous Tony Stark practical joke, a result of his captivity, or a project Stark is truly planning on pursuing. However, one thing is for certain: with Tony Stark at the helm, it’s sure to be a wild ride.

 

* * *

 

 

 **Danielle** @starknaked

...is this a joke?

 

 **Kevin** @batmobile2001

I think he might actually be serious

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

Okay but guys, this is Tony Stark. Is he ever serious about anything?

 

 **Kevin** @batmobile2001

He seems pretty serious about this

 

 **Ryan** @quidditchfan29

Tony Stark starting a Quidditch team? That I would pay to see.

 

 **Danielle** @starknaked

I think that’s pretty much the whole point.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

No, I don’t think this is just a joke, or money or anything. I think this is legit.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)** @seeriously

Well he seemed pretty rattled after what happened in Afghanistan. Maybe this is his way of coping?

 

 **Ryan** @quidditchfan29

I wouldn’t blame him honestly.

 

 **Danielle** @starknaked

Rumor he escaped on a broom.

 

 **Kevin** @batmobile2001

Wait, I thought he was scared of flying? That was the whole thing between him and his dad.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)** @seeriously

He is. Or he was. That’s why it’s such a big deal.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

But guys, could you imagine what this could do for the Stark fandom?

 

* * *

 

 

_Official statement released by Obadiah Stane at this morning’s press conference._

 

“On behalf of the American Quidditch League, I am pleased to announce the league has grown larger yet again, with the addition of the newest professional Quidditch team, the Arc Reactor. Captained by the Chaser, Colonel James Rhodes, this team will be competing professionally for the first time in the American circuit. Though the orientation of this team to the Quidditch world has been a bit, shall we say, unorthodox, we are certain the Arc Reactor will be making its mark on the world of Quidditch one way or another. 

The Arc Reactor will be playing their first game on June 5, at Roxxon Stadium. We hope Quidditch fans will come out to support the league and the newest team.”

 

* * *

 

 

 **Quidditch Daily** @QuidditchDaily

The Arc Reactor website has launched!

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

Wow...that’s a lot of red and gold.

 

 **Ryan** @quidditchfan29

Well I mean it is Tony Stark. What can you expect?

 

 **Danielle** @starknaked

Too true. Is the starting roster up?

 

 **Kevin** @batmobile2001

Yeah, [here’s](http://) the link 

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)** @seeriously

Wait a minute, Pepper Potts?

 

 **Danielle** @starknaked

Hell yeah Pepper Potts!

 

 **Ryan** @quidditchfan29

I mean I love her, but does she even know how to play Quidditch?

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

Well does Stark?

 

 **Ryan** @quidditchfan29

Fair point.

 

 **Kevin** @batmobile2001

It looks like his roster is made up of his close friends?

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

And who the hell is this “Iron Man” guy?

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

Hold on, he only has six players on his roster!

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Is that even allowed?

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

Well I mean the Howling Commandos did it two years ago.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Yeah but that was HC. Tony Stark is not Steve Rogers.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

And that was the problem wasn’t it?

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

...shit.

 

* * *

  
  
**Is Stark’s Heart Heating Up?**

_By Sheila Donner_

Stark Alert! After a rather heated exchange with a freelance Quidditch correspondent Christine Everhart, Tony Stark was spotted storming out of the annual Stark Charity Ball - one he had not been invited to attend as rumor has it! Our devoted readers may remember that earlier this year Everhart managed to land quite the exclusive on Tony Stark, and many have been wondering how she managed that. With these new photos, we don’t think people will be wondering for long!

 

* * *

 

 

**starknaked:**

 

> I am literally disgusted by this piece of garbage disguising itself as journalism. When Witch Weekly - A TABLOID - produces better content than A NEWSPAPER, that’s a sign you’ve hit rock bottom.

#smh #first of all everyone in the WORLD saw the pictures of him and pepper potts dancing together #that was way more heated than this fake scandal the daily bugle came up with

 

* * *

 

 

**saltnpepper:**

 

> Okay so guys I’m sure you have all seen that gross Daily Bugle article floating around, and it’s crap, we all know it. But the thing is Tony Stark really did storm out of his own charity ball, and multiple sources said he seemed to have some sort of confrontation with his pseudo-uncle Obadiah Stane.
> 
> The best friend of Howard Stark, and Tony’s godfather, not to mention the Keeper of Tony’s new Quidditch team, Obi is pretty much a fixture in Stark Industries. Hell we’ve all probably seen him as much as we’ve seen Tony, let’s be real. But for a while now there have been rumors about Stark Industries getting into illegal stuff, specifically selling designer weaponized spells. Highly, highly, highly illegal. Like I cannot stress how illegal this is, it’s probably up there with using an Unforgivable honestly. But anyways these are all just rumors of course, but they’re starting to gain a little traction. Numerous people are picking up on this, and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if an _investigative journalist_ like Christine Everhart (she has a degree from the same institute as Pepper Potts and one from the _Ivy League_ muggle university Brown! Don’t write her off as some ‘freelance Quidditch correspondent’) would have known about it. She definitely approached him at some point in the evening, and admittedly neither of them looked very happy in the pictures, but they’re blurry and low quality so it’s hard to tell.
> 
> But after his encounter with Everhart, Tony and Obadiah seemed to have some sort of falling out, and maybe it’s a stretch, but I feel like that’s what it was about. Maybe they’re just rumors - Merlin I hope they are - or maybe there’s some truth to them. Say what you will about Tony Stark, but the guy doesn’t do dirty business, and even though everyone is invalidating and trivializing his experience in Afghanistan, he seems to be working really hard to get on the narrow (even if it’s not that straight).
> 
> The point is, while we don’t know what happened, we can deduce that things between Tony and Stane aren’t great right now, and that worries me. Everyone knows he’s been handling his parents’ deaths pretty badly, and after his ordeal in Afghanistan, he really needs support and friendship. If he can’t count a lifelong figure among those friends, then I don’t want to think about what that’s going to do to him.

 

#Tony Stark #Obadiah Stane #Christine Everhart #meta

 

* * *

  
  
**howliescommandos** (Meredith) posted in **quidditchfans**

@ **2008** - **06** - **04** at _4:53 pm UTC_

Okay so a lot has been going on in the Quidditch World, what with Peggy Carter retiring from Quidditch (I’ll never be over that to be honest), the two Russian dynamites, and the typical Tony Stark flashbang, but I thought it would be a good time to bring up another happening in the wonderful world of Quidditch. I’m sure plenty of you signed up for the Howling Commandos fan club at one point or another, in hopes of getting an autographed poster or early reserves on tickets. If you did, then you probably encountered Phil Coulson, even if it was just in a letter welcoming you to the fan club.

Let me tell you about Phil Coulson. He’s an amazing guy, and a huge Quidditch fan. He once stopped to talk to me at CharmCon (and was really surprised that I knew who he was) and admitted he used to be terrified of flying, and was quite bad at it. He was jealous of those that could fly, and developed a hatred for the sport because he felt like he couldn’t do it. Then when he saw the Howling Commandos fly for the first time, something in him just changed. That was the team that brought Phil Coulson into the world of Quidditch, for which I am eternally grateful.

He became a huge member of both the online and “real life” community. He was sort of a celebrity in his own right, known for being efficient and pleasant. Team bias aside, I’m sure we can all agree when Phil Coulson was running the Howling Commandos Fan Club, it was the best fan club of any team in the league. There were regular events, wonderful communication, and a true sense of community. Phil Coulson worked his ass off for the members of the fan club, because he knew what being a fan meant to him and to so many other people.

Well now our very own Coulson has made it into the Big Leagues! That’s right kiddos, Phil Coulson is a professional Quidditch player! Though he won’t be playing this season, he has signed with a professional team that he’s remaining quite hush-hush about, much to my consternation. I just thought it was really important to share this story, because there are so many people that create the magical experience of Quidditch besides just the players. No one is going to say the players don’t deserve the fame and fans they receive, and no one is saying what they do isn’t risky. Merlin’s beard, we all still remember Bucky Barnes. But I think it’s also important to focus on the “little guys”. Phil Coulson is one of us, and he’s making it as a professional Quidditch player. Tony Stark isn’t the only player in the league to overcome a fear of flying, and I think it’s important to remember that.

 

* * *

 

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

Huge congrats to @PhilCoulson !

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Oh my god I still remember getting my signed welcome letter from him.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Why am I not surprised you were a part of the HC fanclub?

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

shut it you.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

Who wasn’t in the HC fanclub, let’s be real here.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Tony Stark

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

Dani is on point with the shots fired over here.

 

 **Pepper Potts** @pepperpottsofficial

Actually I’m pretty sure Tony had his letter from Phil framed.

 

* * *

 

 

**The Woman Behind the Stark**

_By Patricia Tilby_

 

Virginia “Pepper” Potts is one of the most interesting woman in American Wizarding Society. She was born to two small town muggles in Mandover, Kansas. By the time she was seven years old, her family had been contacted regarding her magical abilities, and she enrolled in the Salem Institute for Witches at thirteen. Now fully immersed in the magical world, Pepper Potts began to truly shine.

“I always knew she would go on to do great things,” Salem’s Culture and Etiquette instructor, Madame Bourdeaux insisted.

Indeed, Pepper Potts quickly became one of the brightest students at the Institute, regularly performing top of her class. She was elected her Class Senator every year she attended, served as Speaker of the House in the school’s student House of Representatives, and by the time she was sixteen, was elected student President.

Ms. Potts graduated with a heavy concentration in Arithmancy that earned her a job in the secretary pool of Anthony Stark. Though reports are unconfirmed, it is rumored Pepper Potts was given the job as Tony Stark’s personal assistant after she corrected an accounting error made by Tony Stark himself.

Amidst much adversity, Pepper Potts has more than risen to the occasion, proving herself to be not only adept and skilled, but completely prepared for the daunting task of being the personal assistant to one of the most eccentric characters in the Wizarding World. If managing Tony Stark’s personal and professional lives was not enough of a task in and of itself, Pepper Potts has also faced prejudice from the small sect of wizards and witches still set in the old ways. Being a muggleborn witch with a high position underneath a notable pureblood such as Tony Stark has caused some mouths to run, however as Ms. Potts herself so eloquently put it, “the sort of people who have anything to say about that are exactly those Mr. Stark has no interest in associating with.”

In fact, since joining the Stark Industries machine, Tony Stark has personally donated over a quarter of a million Galleons towards charities aimed at helping muggleborns, muggles, and the European rebuilding process - still underway after many years. Though there is no official statement on whether Stark’s preference of charity is linked to Pepper Potts, it is not unreasonable to assume that there is some correlation between the two. A gifted speaker, Pepper Potts has a way of opening one’s eyes and not only conveying a message, but making listeners respond to it - a talent that has been put to good use over several years of interesting press conferences.

Most recently, Ms. Potts seems to have added yet another unknown skill to her already weighty repertoire. After Tony Stark’s rescue and return, he unleashed several bombshells on the unsuspecting public, including the fact that Stark Industries would no longer be creating spells, and Stark himself would be entering a new Quidditch team in the American Quidditch League. When the official team roster was released, Virginia Potts was listed as a Chaser. With many of her classmates attesting to the fact that Pepper Potts had never played the sport at Salem Institute for Witches, the choice raised many eyebrows. Some believe Potts must have a hidden talent, while others think it is just another sign Tony Stark has truly lost his mind.

We here at The Oracle are keeping an open mind. Tony Stark is nothing if not mad, but that madness is most certainly accompanied by genius. In the Stark family, the two traits seem to go hand in hand. Pepper Potts, on the other hand, is level headed, rational, and remarkably in control when it comes to Stark and his wild antics, so some of us find it hard to believe she would blindly follow his plan without having the necessary skills to back it up. Even more of us know how to look back at history and see that Pepper Potts, much like other notable figures in the Wizarding World, such as Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers, tends to always come out on top whenever she is underestimated.

 

* * *

 

 

_Transcript of an interview with Tony Stark_

 

 **Jay Leno:** So Mr. Stark, let’s just start with the obvious here. You go to Afghanistan as a spell creator, and return with the intention of closing down Stark Industries’ spell creation operation, and turning the focus to clean energy.

 

 _Tony Stark:_ Yes that’s exactly what I did.

 

 **Jay Leno:** And now you own a Quidditch Team?

 

 _Tony Stark:_ I’m glad you did your research. Yes, I’m the owner of the Arc Reactor.

 

 **Jay Leno:** But not the Captain?

 

 _Tony Stark:_ No, that position belongs to Colonel James Rhodes. I don’t play Quidditch.

 

 **Jay Leno:** And why was he made Captain?

 

 _Tony Stark:_ Well it was the only way I could actually demote him (audience laughter) but really, Rhodey is the best guy for the job. He’s an expert flyer as he’s shown in the American Magical Peacekeeping Air Force, and he’s got a good head for strategy.

 

 **Jay Leno:** One could say Virginia Potts has a good head for strategy as well.

 

 _Tony Stark:_ Oh of course. She’s brilliant, and probably one of the few reasons I’m alive today. But Rhodey’s got instinct and experience, more than any other member of the team. It was a natural choice really, making him Captain out of the goodness of my heart.

 

 **Jay Leno:** Speaking of that though, you’ve already pointed out most of your team is inexperienced and you’ll be playing with only six players. How do you think you’ll fare in the Quidditch League?

 

 _Tony Stark:_ Oh I think we’ll do just fine.

 

 **Jay Leno:** Really?

 

 _Tony Stark:_ _(smirking)_ Oh yeah. I’ve still got some tricks up my sleeve.

 

* * *

 

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Alright I’ve got my livestream all set up.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

I’m at work damn it, you guys are going to have to tell me what’s going on.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Right now the players for the Arachnids are being introduced.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

It’ll be interesting to see Arc Reactor face off with them, since they’re both brand new teams.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

I thought it was kind of strange that they were playing each other for their first match.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

I’m excited to see how it goes though.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Holy shit!

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

WHAT? WHAT’S HAPPENING?

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Arc Reactor just flew out and they’re on some snazzy looking brooms.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

I’ve never seen brooms like those before. Iron Man’s is red and gold

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

I wonder - did Stark make those?

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

If he did, I think this game just got a whole lot more interesting.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

I’ve got a more interesting question: where the hell is Stark?

 

* * *

 

 

**Stark MIA at Arc Reactor Game**

_By Sid Franken_

 

Where the hell is Stark indeed? Last night was the debut game of the Arc Reactor, one of the newest and certainly most talked about teams in the American Quidditch League, thanks to its strange conception, incomplete roster, and eccentric owner, Tony Stark. Yet Mr. Stark was notably absent from the game last night, a match that will certainly go down in history as one of the most intriguing in the AQL’s history.

No official statement has been released by Mr. Stark, however there are speculations that despite his new Quidditch team, the man’s experience in Afghanistan (most notably his escape which was said to have taken place on a broomstick) has left him unable to actually watch the broomstick driven sport.

Despite Tony Stark’s absence from the game, the notable appearances include Dr. Bruce Banner, Team X’s Beater Logan Howlett, Colonel Carol Danvers, and even a rumored sighting of the former Howling Commandos Keeper and Captain, Steve Rogers.

 

* * *

 

 

**Broom Broom Mothertruckers**

_By Edward Brock_

To start off this article, I must offer my sincerest apologies. We here at the Broom Buzz headquarters are still futilely attempting to pick up our collective jaws from the floors. While all of us have gained a new appreciation for our first class janitorial staff, you may be wondering what left the staff in such a state of shock; that would be the same astonishing development that sent Quidditch fans everywhere reeling. Emphasis on development. Tony Stark, one of the biggest geniuses on the planet, is developing broomsticks. And as evidenced in last night’s game against another new team, the Acromantulas, they are top of the line.

No news has come from Stark Industries on whether or not Tony really will be turning to creating broomsticks rather than spells, but we’re all waiting for more information.

 

* * *

 

 

_Transcript from Stark Industries press conference hosted by Virginia Potts_

“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining me today, and thank you for the words of congratulations. I will make sure to pass them along to Mr. Stark and the rest of my teammates. As you may have guessed, we are here today to discuss the future of Stark Industries. As Tony Stark announced last month, the company will no longer be creating spells, especially those that can and will be weaponized. Stark Industries is instead turning to a new area of development. The brooms the American Quidditch team, Arc Reactor flew on this past Saturday are the first brooms to ever be produced by Stark Industries, however they will certainly not be the last. Tony Stark himself is overseeing the designs and manufacturing of the broomsticks, and we hope you will join us in our excitement as Stark Industries approaches a new era. Thank you.”

 

* * *

 

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Holy shit. Stark broomsticks. Where do I get one?

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

One will probably only cost you your arm and leg.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

And your firstborn of course.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Yeah, but come on guys, it has to be worth it.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

The price will be through the roof, but can you guys just imagine all the cool features?

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

I have to admit, the broom Stark was riding was pretty amazing.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Who knows, maybe it will be affordable? Pepper Potts said SI is turning over a new leaf after all.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

We’ll just have to wait and see.

 

* * *

 

 

**Stark’s Secret Specs?**

_By Ken Ellis_

It was only a week and a half ago that Arc Reactor, one of the American Quidditch League’s newest teams, played their first professional Quidditch game, and unveiled a major surprise. The team won the match with a score of 190 – 140, however the results have been largely ignored in favor of the much more buzzworthy news of Tony Stark and his new line of broomsticks.

The Arc Reactor dazzled fans immediately, shooting out on shiny new broomsticks, all with custom paint jobs and gleaming with that typical Tony Stark flair. Of course, with that flair is sure to be all the bells and whistles, making them contenders for the best broomsticks in the world. Or they would be contenders, if anyone knew the specs of the broomsticks, but that information is being kept tightly under lock and key. In fact, one would have better luck finding muggle nuclear codes than getting information on Tony Stark’s highly classified broomsticks.

We know the brooms are not illegal, and are up to League standards, however that’s just about all we know concerning the newest vehicles on the market. Tony Stark has always been a strange and rather paranoid man, and his paranoia has certainly been on the rise since his unfortunate trip to Afghanistan. However never would anyone call the man modest, and even a kidnapping didn’t seem to change that about him. One would assume that Stark would be shouting about these broomsticks from the rooftops. They’re completely unique and seem to be miles ahead of what the best broomstick companies in the world are currently producing. Our sources indicate that Nimbus has been trying fruitlessly to get into contact with Stark for days now, and Firebolt Inc. is working double time to push up the release date of their newest model.

For once though, Tony Stark really is keeping his lips sealed, and no one else on his team is talking. Though many had their doubts and still do, there is something to be said for hiring close friends and faculty from within; their loyalty is either guaranteed or bought. Still, with every passing day in the American Quidditch League, Tony Stark seems to be raising more and more questions, and answering none.

 

* * *

 

 

 **A Love Like No Other** > _PepperoniLoves_

Tony Stark has just returned from unknown horrors in Afghanistan. Unable to recover, he turns to his sexy assistant for some help. Lemons!

Rated: M – English – Hurt/Comfort – Chapters: 1 – Words: 1,230 – Follows: 12 – Updated: 39 min ago – Published: 7/12/08 [Tony S., Pepper P.] James R., Obadiah S.

 

 **Overreaction** > _HowlingReactor_

Everyone knows Tony Stark has a flair for the dramatics, and no one knows that better than Steve Rogers. However this has to be an overreaction.

Rated: M – English – Romance/Drama – Chapters: 12 – Words: 49,539 – Reviews: 1k – Favs: 955 – Follows: 988 – Updated: 12 hours ago – Complete – Published: 11/24/07 [Steve R., Tony S.] Pepper P.

 

 **Arc Reactor Drinking Games!** > _StarkGirl298_

What happens when you get the members of the craziest Quidditch team drunk on Firewhiskey? Crack! Featuring cameos from all your favorite Quidditch players.

Rated: K – English – Humor/Parody – Chapters: 6 – Words: 3,319 – Follows: 104 – Updated: 1 day ago – Published: 9/15/08

 

* * *

 

 

**maiden-seers:**

> Okay so I don’t want to start anything here, but did anyone else notice how Christine everhart looked totally unsurprised when arc reactor came out on those new brooms? Like I don’t want to say there’s a thing going on with her and tony stark, but she totally knew about those brooms ahead of time.

#meta, #christine everhart #tony stark #there needs to be a ship name for them #chrony? #everstark? #starkheart?

 

* * *

 

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Angela I love you, but I will fight to the death for Pepperony.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

I thought you’d appreciate my post ;)

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Oh no, this isn’t going to turn into a shipping war is it?

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

Of course not! I mean mine’s more of a crackship anyways, but I think they’d make an interesting couple.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

The important thing is always a happy, mutually consensual relationship.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

I miss the days when we talked about Quidditch :(

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

If you were a quaffle and I was a chaser during a quidditch match, I'd score with you.

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

oh my merlin.

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

;)

 

* * *

 

 

_Encrypted email sent in 2007_

**To:** adjkysxlae32kls131jkfdl39@secure.net

 **From:** ceo@starkindustries.net

 **Subject:** Agreement

Half of the agreed money has been wired into the Ten Rings’ offshore account. The remainder of the money will be transferred upon completion of the assignment. The plan is in place. Your target will be traveling to Afghanistan in several months’ time. That should give you ample opportunity to ensure everything goes smoothly. I will not tolerate any mistakes or accidents. I am not a person you want to cross, however if you succeed, you will be rewarded. If the results I desire are produced, you can expect more deals to come from this…partnership. Do not attempt to contact me, I will contact you when needed.

Obadiah Stane

 

* * *

 

 

Jeanne ( **stark-week** ) wrote in **starknews**

@ **2008** - **09** - **05** _06:23 pm UTC_

Excerpt from an article in The Daily Bugle

“Our inside source revealed to us in this EXCLUSIVE article, that the recent changes in Stark Industries are the result of something far more sinister than the former spells manufacturer turned “humanitarian”, Tony Stark, would have the unassuming public believe. However what Mr. Stark failed to acknowledge is that the public is far from unassuming, and we would stop at nothing to uncover the truth, and finally we have.

Our source, who is close to the famous Stark himself, states that Stark Industries’ rapid switch from spell creation to broomstick development has little to do with the man’s so-called “imprisonment” in Afghanistan, and everything to do with hiding the fact that his company has been developing weaponized spells for wizarding terrorists in the Middle East.

It would make perfect sense, lining up with Stark’s recent actions, stirring up enough controversy that people pay more attention to the hullabaloo surrounding the Arc Reactor, and not look too closely at the illegal actions of Stark Industries. Given Stark’s failure to attend every single Arc Reactor match this season, the suspicious actions certainly appear to be spelling out doom for the company.”

[source]

Okay guys, I know we’re all going to have a lot of opinions on this one, but please remember to remain civil with each other, and no bashing anyone.

**1291 Comments**

Reply from **saltnpeppa**

How is the Daily Bugle considered to be a legitimate newspaper?

 

Reply from **maidenseer**

I am shaking I’m so angry.

 

Reply  from **starkfan398**

> This.

 

Reply from **make-love-not-war**

Really? How are people surprised? Stark has been perpetuating this stupid war from the beginning. He’s never followed the rules before, and always thought himself to be above the law so why the hell are people acting like he’s some precious little bunny that needs to be protected?

           

> Reply from **antireactor**
> 
>            I agree. It’s unfortunate it had to come from a source like the Daily Bugle, but it’s no secret Stark’s been in some dirty business in the past.

          

>  Reply from **starkismy-husband**
> 
>            Yeah real rich coming from someone who acts like James Barnes, once the toughest Chaser in the International League is a sobbing sad puppy.

           

> Reply from **starknewsmod**
> 
>            Thread frozen by mods.

 

Reply from **batmanismobile**

Okay guys I love Stark as much as the next guy, and I think the Daily Bugle is an awful example of journalism, but even the most outlandish rumors start from a grain of truth. Obviously I don’t want to think that Stark is getting into illegal stuff, but I’m also not going to refuse to believe it could be truth either.

 

* * *

 

 

**Who Is Iron Man?**

_By Brie Larmer_

There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the new American Quidditch team, Arc Reactor, especially in light of the recent tabloid article masquerading as actual news written with journalistic integrity that appeared in the Daily Bugle, however outside of social media there has not been enough attention devoted to the nameless member of Arc Reactor, known only as “Iron Man”.

Using aliases in Quidditch is nothing new, though it’s rather unusual in the AQL. It is particularly common in the Russian Quidditch League, after the Red Room began using it as a gimmick with their Black Widows and Winter Soldier, however it’s something of a calling card for the notoriously secret Russian team. Of the many things one could call Tony Stark and his company, “secretive” and “subtle” would not be one of them.

Iron Man is not secretive nor subtle either. Each member of the Arc Reactor has a different uniform in coordinating colors of red and gold (often considered to be Stark’s trademark colors) however Iron Man’s certainly has the most bells and whistles with a full body suit, complete with a facial mask that completely disguises him. Though the AQL was allowed an up close look at the uniform, to make sure it was up to regulation and didn’t have any illegal features, they were bound by airtight contracts with Stark Industries, and no information on the uniforms have been released, creating an even greater mystery surrounding the “Iron Man”.

Already the player has been making waves in the Quidditch community. The X Team’s James “Logan” Howlett, a man known for grunting instead of giving comments, stated “Iron Man’s probably one of the best Beaters in the League, even with the dumbass name.”

Just who is Iron Man, and where did he come from? Is “he” even a “he” at all? With this much mystery surrounding the Iron Man, it seems more than plausible that a misleading name would purposely be chosen to cause further misdirection when speculating about the identity of the Quidditch player behind the mask. Though the Quidditch world is still guessing and theorizing, the fact remains that “Iron Man” is certainly one of the best and most interesting Quidditch players the league has seen.

 

* * *

 

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Oh my Merlin I feel sick.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Circe. Hannah is this what it felt like in ’05?

 

**caged bird sings (Hannah) @saltnpeppa**

I don’t think anything can ever feel as bad as that, but this comes pretty close.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

What’s going on? What’s happening?

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

Obadiah Stane just announced he’s not playing for Arc Reactor anymore.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

He’s playing Beater for Iron Monger now.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

You have to be joking! The game is tonight!

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

I know.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

They already play a team that’s one short, now they just lost their Chaser.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

Plus he was the only other one that had Quidditch experience. Now they’ve just got Rhodes.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Yeah but they still have Iron Man don’t they?

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Rumor has it that Obadiah is more than a match for Iron Man.

 

* * *

 

 

**From Iron Man to Iron Monger**

_By David Arnstead_

Though the wizarding world is no doubt already aware, the most talked about team of the AQL season suffered a serious blow, just hours before their match tonight against Iron Monger. Obadiah Stane, the godfather and close friend of Tony Stark, not only suddenly left the Arc Reactor, but announced he would be playing for the Iron Monger in tonight’s game. Most of the wizarding world remains in shock, though there remains radio silence on the part of Tony Stark.

No one knows what this will mean for the Arc Reactor, however the prospects are not looking favorable. Obadiah Stane was one of the team’s two members with previous experience in Quidditch, however unlike Colonel James Rhodes, whose experience comes from his military school’s Quidditch team, Obadiah Stane played professionally with the Chessmen as their Chaser. Rumors have been surrounding the Arc Reactor since its inception that Stane harbored some resentment over being made a Keeper, instead of his old position as Chaser. Though most dismissed it as mere hearsay in an attempt to stir up even more controversy, it appears that particular bit of gossip held some truth.

The Arc Reactor will be facing off against the Iron Monger tonight at 7:00 pm Eastern. The game will be broadcast live on the WWN as well as televised and shown on WIZ.

 

* * *

 

 

**toonysnark:**

> Um okay so I did some digging on Obadiah Stane and??? Yeah the guy is seriously sketchy. And I’m not just saying this because he stabbed Tony Stark in the back, though I’m still livid about that. But okay so you know how the Oracle’s website just reported that he used to play for the Chessmen? Yeah well apparently he was kicked off and banned. I listed my sources below, because I know this is tumblr and people tend to believe whatever, but really was kicked off of the team and he was even supposed to be banned from professional Quidditch. I have no idea what he said or did to have the ban ignored, but whatever it was I have a pretty bad feeling about it. There’s not much information on what Stane did to get kicked off in the first place, and the Chessmen were never that great and stopped playing altogether like ten years ago, but the point still stands that technically Stane shouldn’t be playing Quidditch for anyone.

#obadiah stane #tony stark #arc reactor #iron monger #stanegate #quidditch news #chessmen #seriously guys i have a really bad feeling about this #especially with all the rumors surrounding stark industries lately #stane is looking like the bad guy here.

 

* * *

 

 

jessica ( **acromanfan** ) posted in **snitch_sightings**

@ **2008** - **10** - **09**

Oh my god you guys I just saw Phil Coulson on the subway and he is wearing an Arc Reactor uniform. I mean first of all, I love the fact that he still takes a subway, even though he made it into the big leagues, that’s just so humbling and sweet in my opinion? But guys. Phil Coulson is in an Arc Reactor uniform. Apparently he’s signed a contract with this new team that’s going to start playing next season, and he signed on as a Keeper. There’s only four hours until the big showdown tonight, and Arc Reactor is obviously down a Keeper. It seems pretty obvious to me that Phil Coulson is about to play Keeper for one of the most talked about Quidditch teams in history, and I don’t know about you, but I’m excited for him to get his well-deserved time in the spotlight.

**209 Comments**

 

* * *

 

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Oh my Merlin this is so intense.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

I feel like I can’t even breathe!

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

What’s the score? I’m on the train and I don’t have headphones so I can’t tune into the WWN.

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

50 – 130 in Iron Monger’s favor.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Damn it.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

Does anyone have a link to a working livestream? Mine just froze.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

Oh no! The one on the Which Broomstick website is pretty decent.

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

Is anyone at the game?

 

 **caged bird sings (Hannah)**  @saltnpeppa

Kevin is.

 

 **maiden seer (Angela)**  @seeriously

Merlin’s beard!

 

 **Ryan**  @quidditchfan29

What happened?!?

 

 **Kevin**  @batmobile2001

If I wasn’t married and I thought I had a chance, I would have proposed to Pepper Potts right now.

 

 **Danielle**  @starknaked

I’d do it anyways.

 

* * *

 

 

 **The Oracle** @theoracleofficial

Arc Reactor wins the match 290-110! theoracle.com/Xyi31o2

 

 **The Oracle** @theoracleofficial

Tony Stark drops another surprise bomb at news conference theoracle.com/D6ew35a

 

* * *

 

 

**Trending Topics:**

 

#IamIronMan

#Iron Man

Tony Stark

Arc Reactor

Mexico

DC Riots

#Stanegate

 

* * *

 

 **Tony Stark** @ironman

I am Iron Man.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for taking the time to read this! If you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate any feedback or kudos, as they definitely motivate me to write faster!


	4. What Happens In the Locker Room... (2015)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m not Bucky Barnes, I’m just James.” http://theoracle.com/Kwo8ij
> 
> In which James clarifies that he is not broken, he is not Bucky Barnes, and is not, in fact, a cat person despite his two cats.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this chapter practically wrote itself, and I'm pretty happy with it! I really liked getting into James' head, so I hope you guys like it!
> 
> Some clarification, in case anyone is still confused! This fic alternates between the past and present. The past chapters will all be multimedia chapters, and will be focused on worldbuilding and showing the events that have lead to the present plot line.
> 
> Unbeta'd as always, all mistakes by me!

“What the hell was that?”

Immediately everyone in the vicinity froze. It wasn’t explicitly stated in their contracts that practices were to be silent, however they always were, a tense quiet in the arena that was a stark contrast to the faint memory of camaraderie and friendly banter that lingered at the edge of James’ memory. No one interrupted a practice, least of all HYDRA’s precious “Winter Soldier”. Perhaps that was what made his teammates stop and turn their attention to him.

When it became clear who his anger was directed toward, the rest of the players became even more attentive. Out of the corner of his eye James saw Pietro’s gaze dart over to his twin sister protectively. James felt a pang of longing, and the familiar frustration that always accompanied memories he couldn’t actually place.

Returning his attention to the Beater, James grew incensed, seeing the bored expression on Ultron’s face. James had always had problems with at least one other player no matter what team he was on at the moment (at least from what he remembered) but Ultron certainly took the cake. Not only was the team named after the egomaniac, but he tended to wax poetic about his “vision” for the world of Quidditch. As far as James knew, the other Beater, Ultron’s protoge, was called Vision because of Ultron’s incessant rambling. Personally James thought it was stupid - why would you call your Beater and not your Seeker Vision? - but it wasn’t like James knew what else to call him.

The only members of the team James really tolerated were Pietro and Wanda. Occasionally that tentative circle could be expanded to include Yelena, when she wasn’t reminding him too much of the Red Room. Ultron however, was at the top of James’ list, and that was not a good place to be, as numerous opponents and teammates alike had discovered.

“I believe,” Ultron began smoothly, “that I was playing Quidditch. What have you been doing Captain?”

James scowled, unamused. Ultron loved taunting him and calling him “Captain”, ever since he found out early on how much James hated it. Ultron was under the delusion that James’ hatred was rooted in bitterness and resentment towards Ultron, since he had been made Captain, and not James despite his obvious seniority. However that couldn’t have been further from the truth. In all honesty, James wanted nothing to do with the Captaincy, whether it was him leading or following someone else. It was a relief to be out of the Red Room, and no longer in a position where he had to call the shots.

But just because he didn’t want to be a Captain didn’t mean he liked answering to one. Though being a part of Department X meant working personally with the Red Room and playing on their elite “Winter” team, Bucky had enjoyed the freedom it offered him. He answered to very few people (or rather he rarely saw the people he was supposed to answer to) and was given plenty of freedom to enjoy a solo Quidditch career. Of course that had all ended the moment he was suddenly traded to HYDRA, and now the acclaimed “Winter Soldier” was under the leadership of some rookie called Ultron. But HYDRA was quickly beginning to realize what Department X had already come to terms with; James would only answer to one Captain.

He didn’t know who that Captain was, but he knew it wasn’t Ultron.

“That’s not Quidditch.” James said shortly, his glare intensifying. “That’s a cheap, dirty shot, and it’s also illegal.” Ultron matched his glare with one of his own, but James had plenty of practice glaring. He didn’t bother moving his gaze across the field, but he was sure Yelena was somewhere trying not to cower instinctively, and she was one of the strongest women James knew.

Unfortunately when it came to glaring matches, it seemed the two Quidditch players were evenly matched. The tension was only rising between the two of them, before Pietro finally dared to cut in, looking like he regretted it the second he did.

“Well since Quidditch is what we are paid to do, are we going to actually play?”

James and Ultron continued to glare at each other for another minute, before finally coming to a silent agreement that Pietro was right.

“Yeah, we are. And we’re here to play Quidditch, not kill anyone, especially not our own team a few days before the second round of the championship.” James said with another pointed look towards Ultron, before he turned his broom around and sped to the other end of the field.

“Of course we’re not. Even though he isn’t Captain, I suppose Barnes would know all about teammate betrayal, wouldn’t he?” James heard Ultron’s voice even from all the way across the field, and he knew the Captain saw him flinch. He tried to contain it, not wanting to give the sadistic Quidditch player any sort of satisfaction or ammunition, but unfortunately it was unavoidable. Ultron knew just what buttons to push, and James hated him for it.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Yelena hovering in his peripheral vision, a conflicted expression painted on her face, clearly torn between leaving him be, and broaching the issue that was clearly affecting James. Deciding to throw her a bone, and field off any unpleasant questions, James tossed the Quaffle in the air.

“C’mon.” He muttered, mostly to himself, though he knew his voice carried. “Let’s play some damn Quidditch.”

 

* * *

HYDRA sucked. It was cruel and awful, and from what James could gather, up to the gills in all sorts of illegal shit, including Quidditch fixing, which was one of the worst crimes in the sport. It was controlling, and James couldn’t help but feel he was trapped by the stupid contract he hadn’t been able to fully comb over, but damn at least he got to enjoy the luxury of long warm showers.

Department X hadn’t exactly been a picnic either, and while in some ways it was better than HYDRA, because James was at least still under the illusion he had at least a modicum of control and say over himself and his life, it certainly had nothing on HYDRA in regards to showers. James couldn’t recall ever taking a shower over five minutes, and the warmest temperature the water ever reached was a miserable lukewarm that was in some ways, worse than the cold.

James thought about the two agencies a lot as he showered, doing his best to scrub the mud and feeling of dirtiness off after the practice finally ended. He was worried one of these days Ultron actually was going to drive them into the ground. Ultron and Vision seemed practically inhuman, with their ability to keep going, while their Keeper, Ulysses, was the opposite, a man who never stopped complaining, and therefore couldn’t be taken seriously. Yelena had been trained by James himself, and was resilient; she would never let anyone see something that could be perceived as weakness.

Wanda and Pietro however, were only human, and fairly new to Quidditch. So was their Captain of course, but the twins didn’t have the same metal skin that seemed to encase Ultron. They grew sore and tired, and though neither of them were ever inclined to complain or beg for a break, as the practice had worn on, it became obvious they needed it.

Finally when Vision chimed in with James and Pietro, Ultron had been convinced to release the team for the evening. Small mercies. James snorted to himself underneath the spray of the shower. He could hear that he was the only one left in the locker room, but he didn’t care. He allowed himself very few luxuries, and a long hot shower was one of the few he chose to indulge in.

Sighing, James ran a hand through his hair - the flesh and blood one. It was growing harder to look at the metal one each day. He had struggled with the appendage for so long, both physically and mentally. It had been nearly a year after his accident when he finally received the metal limb, and James often felt as conflicted about it now as he had then. He had finally come to terms with the loss he couldn’t even remember, when the medi-wizards on the Department’s payroll had come forth bearing their silver gift.

James had accepted it of course, however refusal had never really been an option. He was certain there was something about it in his contract, but he never really bothered to check. It had been made clear when the arm was presented to him, that he would wear it. After all, even with limited memories, James hadn’t been so naive to think such a large Quidditch agency would simply take in a broken former Quidditch player out of the goodness of their hearts.

Just the thought of Department X doing anything of the sort made James laugh now. There was always another angle, always an ulterior motive. In the beginning it had enraged James, lit a fire underneath some part of himself that was ridiculously and inexplicably self-righteous. It was almost as if there was a disembodied voice in his head - not his own - ranting against every wrong James took offense to, growing more and more irate at every underhanded trick the Department seemed to pull out of thin air. Over time James had learned to shut that voice off, and simply take the Department’s shadier actions in his stride.

However HYDRA was a different beast altogether, and one that made James uneasy. While Department X certainly had its hands dirty, just about everyone who followed Quidditch knew it was up to no good. Whether they chose to do anything about it or not was out of James’ hands, but most people knew what they were getting into with Department X - James being one of the notable exceptions, especially since he had grown to be completely apathetic towards that side of the business.

Where the Department was a snake, blatant and obvious, HYDRA was a fox, cunning and sly. There was something oily about the organization, hiding behind charisma and sponsors as shady as the worst parts of the agency. The whole business with SHIELD had cast some light on what HYDRA truly was, however James knew better than to think the events of last year’s season would do anything to stop HYDRA. There was a reason it had been named after that particular mythical creature after all.

Letting out another soft sigh, James decided it was probably time to get out of the shower. His fingers were beginning to turn pruny, and from the glimpse he caught of the mirror, the entire locker room resembled a sauna with the steam that had been billowing over the top of James’ shower cubicle that was as big as his first apartment.

James froze, hand on the knob, swallowing painfully. He hated moments like these, when memories - thoughts? ideas? nightmares? - floated across his mind unbidden. He didn’t even know what was real and what wasn’t, yet somehow he couldn’t stop himself from making the strangest comparisons, or thinking things that were so uncharacteristic of him it made him stop dead in his tracks.

Before he realized it, James’ metal fist had clenched into a fist. Tightening his jaw, James yanked at the knob, turning the water off. He didn’t want to dwell on whether or not he had actually lived in a tiny apartment at one point in his life. Why would he have? He had attended a boarding school, and been recruited before he even completed his training. Even after his accident the Department continued to look after him and make sure he was well cared for. If one thing could be said about both Department X and HYDRA, it was that they knew how to treat those among their ranks, and they knew how to envelope potentials into the fold. James never would have been left to such small living quarters.

James took another deep breath and grabbed his towel, quickly running it through his long brown hair. It was getting long, he thought critically. It was highly impractical for Quidditch. James knew that, and he had been kindly informed of it on many separate occasions. But there was something he liked about it, the disapproval on the faces of HYDRA (and earlier, the Department) executives. It made him feel rebellious, almost as if he was lifting his middle finger to the people always pulling on his strings, and the people determined to fit him into someone else’s body. He liked his hair long, and besides, he almost always pulled it back, whether he was playing Quidditch or not. He began doing just that, twisting his brown hair into a bun before tying his towel around his waist.

His skin was bright pink, James noted, scalded by the hot shower. It was beginning to tingle, crying out in protest at the temperature James liked to keep his showers, but he knew he wasn’t about to go back to cold showers, not when a specific situation didn’t demand it. Dully James also took note of the even greater contrast between his metal arm and the pinked flesh that covered the rest of his body. He wondered how it looked to anyone else, since all James saw was a hideous misplaced arm on an otherwise healthy and fit body. James sighed and scrubbed his hand across his face, wondering where the self deprecating thoughts were coming from. He was sure by tomorrow he would be back to loving the arm, particularly whenever he could hold it up to his face and ward off the Bludger that would inevitably be sent his way by his Captain, since Ultron didn’t seem to understand the concept of teamwork.

Finally stepping out of the shower, James’ left eyebrow rose and his arms immediately folded across his broad chest, otherwise giving no reaction to seeing HYDRA CEO, Alexander Pierce sitting on the locker room bench, somehow managing to look perfect in place, despite the well tailored three piece suit.

“Mr. Barnes, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Pierce flashed James a smile, but it wasn’t returned. James had been forced to spend enough time around the political type to know a demagogue when he saw one. Besides, Pierce had already started off on the wrong foot, and he only made matters worse when he held out his hand, clearly intending James to shake it. His left hand, the bastard.

James just glared down at the offending hand.

“That’s not my name.” He stated flatly, and had to repress a shiver when he saw a brief flash of anger in Pierce’s eyes. James shouldn’t be afraid of this man. Sure, he could end James’ career, but the Chaser had been thinking about getting out anyways. He couldn’t really imagine much of a future for himself, working on a team with the likes of Ultron and Ulysses Klaw.

“My apologies. You go by James, isn’t that right?” James didn’t bother to answer. He wasn’t about to insult either of their intelligences. Pierce knew exactly who he was, probably down to the precise measurements that had been taken when James was born. The two men may have never met, but James was HYDRA’s greatest asset, no matter what they said about Ultron.

Likewise, James knew enough about Pierce. Charming and cunning, he was exactly the sort of man James wanted to avoid. Especially since he, like most of the world it appeared, knew far more about James, than James knew about himself. It was reason enough to dislike him, and the rest was all just icing on the cake.

“Well James, I just wanted to congratulate you on your last game, and wish you best of luck on the upcoming match.”

James’ eyes narrowed. Given that this man was the leader of HYDRA, and had basically been playing the entire Quidditch world for years, James highly doubted the extremely important figure had dropped by the locker rooms just to wish James good luck. Sure, Ultron was a HYDRA team, but Alexander Pierce didn’t really seem like the type to give personal congratulations unless he wanted something specific. That set James on edge for more than one reason, not least of which, he didn’t really have a lot to offer, but what he did have was substantial enough for him to dread losing.

“I appreciate that sir. I take it you congratulated each of my teammates and gave your best wishes to them as well?” James knew he had Pierce cornered, however the satisfaction wasn’t quite as sweet as James had hoped, especially not when Pierce’s smile only widened.

“I did. Your teammates are much quicker in the shower.”

James let out a string of mental curses, praying that Alexander Pierce wasn’t a Legilimens. It was illegal of course, for someone to enter another witch’s or wizard’s mind without express permission, however that was probably one of the least illegal things HYDRA did, if it was even something Pierce was capable at all.

Maybe if James hadn’t taken such a long shower, he would have been able to avoid Pierce. Or if Klaw hadn’t been blasting his Merlin awful music over the noise of the showers. But James couldn’t really dwell on the “would have, could have” aspect of the situation. As it stood, James was here with Pierce now, and he just had to make the best of it, hopefully without making some enemies too.

“Well that’s...great.” James stated lamely, wishing the floor would just swallow him whole. As far as imagined scenarios went, that one cropped up a lot more often in James’ mind than having some sort of covert discussion with Alexander Pierce in the Ultron locker room, while James had only a flimsy towel around his waist, protecting his modesty.

“I trust you’ll perform as well as you did in the previous game.” James narrowed his eyes. If there was one thing that was understood about James, it was the fact that he was a consistent player, and he consistently dominated on the Quidditch pitch. Very few players or teams were capable of matching him, let alone beating him, and while the Avengers were quite possibly matches for him, they were far too disorganized and caught up in themselves to pose much of a threat.

Then again, the same could be said for the Ultron team. Technically the team was called the “Lethal Legion” - James snorted and wondered for the millionth time who had come up with that particular gem - but no one really called it that. Ultron was arrogant enough to call the team his own name, and eventually it had stuck. James liked to think when most people referred to their team as “Ultron” they were secretly mocking the Beater like he was, but there was no way to really determine that.

“It was a team effort sir.” James stated flatly, finally moving towards his locker and grabbing his clothes. It was making his skin crawl, the way Pierce’s eyes seemed to map out his exposed skin, lingering particularly on his metal arm. James wanted to be as far away from this locker room as he could get, but it looked like right now he was stuck chatting with Pierce, until the guy got whatever information it was he wanted from James.

“Really?” Pierce’s eyebrow rose. “I don’t think Ultron would say the same. Actually, I think most of your teammates would say they’re only looking out for one person on this team.”

“I’d say the Maximoffs are looking out for at least two.” James added, his tone purposely snarky. It was probably a strategy that would get him killed and dumped in a river somewhere, but he was hoping if he annoyed Pierce enough, he would be able to leave. Instead Pierce just grinned, and James groaned inwardly.

“As are you.” It took every ounce of self control for James not to roll his eyes. “But it makes sense. All of the players on this team have very limited experience with teamwork. Except for you.” James buttoned up his dark wash jeans, and finally removed the towel, tugging on a thin white Henley to cover his chest and especially the scars that littered his left shoulder. His body was tensed from his interaction with Pierce, but he couldn’t exactly shout at the man that he wasn’t James Barnes. That was exactly what he wanted, and James wasn’t about to hand it to him on a silver platter.

“I wouldn’t say that sir. I trained Yelena myself, she knows how to work on a team, even if she’s convinced she does better solo. The Maximoffs work well together, and even though I have no doubt Pietro at least would throw the game if he thought Wanda was in trouble, their bond has only ever been an asset. Vision is definitely a team player, and as much as Ultron claims he answers only to him, Vision is very practical, and listens to reason first and foremost. I’d say Klaw and Ultron are the only ones on this ‘team’ who aren’t team players.”

Alexander Pierce’s expression grew stormy, and though James kept his face impassive, he just barely managed to keep from shivering with fear. The man was frightening to say the least, not that James would ever admit it to anyone else. He had a reputation to maintain, and James himself was supposed to be one of the most frightening players in the sport. He wasn’t going to be cowed by a man in a suit that hadn’t mounted a broom in decades.

"I see. You know James, being a team player won't necessarily help you in this business."

It was all James could do not to roll his eyes. "Well since it's a team sport, I'm afraid we're going to just have to agree to disagree." He stated plainly. Slamming his locked shut, he grabbed his duffle bag, slinging it on his right shoulder. "Besides, I think I'm already as close as you can get to a solo player in this game."

James readjusted his stance, making slight changes to his body language that made it evident he was ready to go. Pierce seemed to take the hint and stood up, offering his hand - this time his right - again. This time James shook it, and managed to fight down the shiver. He had half expected to feel scales, but Pierce's hand was normal, if not a bit cooler than James' own.

“I’ll be watching you James.” Pierce said with a smile that made James’ skin crawl. “I like to keep an eye on our important....assets.”

He nodded uncomfortably, before turning on his heel and hightailing it out of the locker room, not even caring if it looked like he was fleeing, because that’s exactly what he was doing. He kept a brutal pace, just barely one that could be considered walking, before finally slowing down after he rounded the third corridor.

He grew closer to the HYDRA facility’s exit, still mulling over the exchange that had just taken place. He wasn't quite sure what had happened, but he knew it wasn't anything good, and it was likely to come back to bite James in the ass. Momentarily he thought about reaching out to the Maximoffs, seeing if Pierce really had contacted Wanda or Pietro, but he immediately decided against it. Something about Pierce's parting remark, about keeping his eyes on James, had unsettled the Chaser. James knew it was probably paranoid of him to assume the man would have him watched, but James hadn't made it this far with youthful naivety intact. Besides, the man ran HYDRA. It wasn't exactly a stretch of the imagination. Plus James really didn't want to give Pierce the satisfaction of knowing he had rattled him.   
  
So contacting the Sokovian twins was out of the question. It looked like James was just going to have to ignore the tugging sensation in his gut, and proceed like normal. It shouldn't be too hard to follow his typical routine, since there really wasn't much to it. There were reasons why the famed "Winter Soldier" hadn't been identified until recently. One of those reasons happened to be that James was borderline reclusive. If he wasn't at the Quidditch Pitch or at the training facilities, he was in his apartment. He had taken great pains to ensure that no one, not even Department X of HYDRA, knew where that apartment was. Sometimes he needed his space, needed to be unreachable.   
  
Sometimes he needed to be a ghost.  
  
However that was a lot harder now that half the world seemed to have convinced themselves that James really was a ghost come back to life, and seemed to be hovering around him constantly, like the small cluster of reporters lingering outside the HYDRA field. James groaned inwardly, in no mood to deal with the press right now. Not that he ever was, but normally he was excellent at the silent and menacing front. Now however, he had been unnerved by Alexander Pierce - which he refused to admit to anyone else - and was left slightly shaken up and pissed off. Anything that came out of his mouth was sure to be cruel, biting sarcasm, but anything was more than the nothing James had been giving reporters for years. The defiant silence was his calling card; any Quidditch played could be a sarcastic little shit. Half of them were, particularly...  
  
No. No James wasn't playing the memory game again. Growling, he pushed the door open forcefully, and walked out into the sun, studiously ignoring as the reporters quickly made their way over to him, shoving microphones and Quick Quotes Quills in his face. It took all of three seconds for it to become utter chaos, with blinding lights and people shouting in his ear, clamoring for a quote of some sort.   
  
Panic was beginning to settle underneath James' skin, but he refused to let anyone see it. He wasn't going to headline the Evening Oracle for having a breakdown outside of HYDRA, he could only imagine the ramifications of that.   
  
But he wanted to get through this mob of bottom feeders. Not for the first time, James cursed himself for not taking the Department up on their offer of a bodyguard. At the time James had scoffed; who wanted to take on a guy with a metal arm, a reputation for being dangerous, and the skills to take care of himself? But now neither his strength nor his reputation could do him any favors in this scenario, and there was no point hoping any of his teammates would swoop in to help him out. They were all long gone, and despite James' own arguments with Pierce, in HYDRA it was every man for himself.

Gritting his teeth, James soldiered on, doing his best to push through the tight throng of people. He wanted to get out of this alive, but he was beginning to wonder if the reporters would be so lucky. His frustration was only mounting, and the very delicate hold he had on his anger finally snapped, when a Daily Bugle reporter of all people - everyone knew the Daily Bugle was trash - managed to get far too close for comfort.

“So Bucky, how does it feel to be facing down your old friend as a foe on the Quidditch pitch at least one more time?”

“I’m not Bucky Barnes!” James finally snapped, his explosion momentarily stunning everyone, especially since most people had never even heard him talk before. “I’m James. Now leave me the fuck alone and go back to ruining someone else’s life.”

Finally managing to push his way through the crowd, James instantly tugged his hood over his head and made his way to the curb, quickly calling a taxi. He climbed in and gave an address - somewhere in the opposite direction of his apartment.

 

* * *

 

 **The Oracle** @theoracleofficial

“I’m not Bucky Barnes, I’m just James.” http://theoracle.com/Kwo8ij

 

* * *

**Sarah Duplant** @rogerthatcap

Okay guys, please respect his wishes. He wants to be called James, and he doesn’t identify with Bucky Barnes.

**boys on broomsticks (Jordan)** @broomstix

So he still doesn’t remember? That’s so sad.

**god save the queen (Beth)** @cartersarrows

No, I don’t think he remembers, but even if he does there’s no telling that he’ll identify as Bucky again.

**Patrick Gleason** @commandoslasthowl

I’m really not trying to be ignorant or invade your conversation, but can you explain what you mean by “identifying as Bucky?”

**caged bird sings (Hannah)** @saltnpeppa

She means that even though we all know him as Bucky Barnes, he’s a very different person now that seems to have no memory of who he used to be.

**god save the queen (Beth)** @cartersarrows

Exactly. And even if he does have memory of that time in his life, he is now a different person, one that chooses to be separate from Bucky Barnes.

**Patrick Gleason** @commandoslasthowl

God when did Quidditch become so tragic?

**boys on broomsticks (Jordan)** @broomstix

When Steve Rogers and James began playing.

 

* * *

James let out a small sigh of relief and exhaustion as he finally stepped into his apartment nearly two and a half hours after escaping the media that had accosted him. After climbing in the taxi, James had taken two more, before finally getting on the subway. He had gotten off two stops before his own, and proceeded to take a maze-like route to get to his apartment. It was a tedious system, and he had taken a few extra measures today, not wanting anyone to follow him after his brush with both Alexander Pierce and the media. Still, it was well worth the privacy he was granted for it. No one knew about this place, and James wanted it to stay that way.

If someone were to come in and see where the infamous “Winter Soldier” lived, they would be highly unimpressed. It was small and rather messy, but it was technically a bachelor pad after all, so James supposed he might have a little leeway. There wasn’t anything fancy about it, and by all means it was rather ramshackle, considering an elite Quidditch player lived in it. Merlin knew Tony Stark would have had a fit, over in that giant tower of his, taking over the entire city. Still, for James, it was home.

When he had been looking for an apartment to settle down in, James knew it had to be in Brooklyn. He wasn’t sure why he was drawn to that particular borough - from his limited Before memories, he knew he had always been more of a science geek than a history geek - but he could feel it in his bones. He had always been destined to return to Brooklyn.

The thought had originally startled him. Returning to Brooklyn? Had he ever visited before? He wanted to ask, but he knew the moment he brought it up, everyone would know he was planning on going to Brooklyn, and that was the last thing James wanted. He had eventually discovered a school - since closed - the School of Sorcery Research, had been located in Brooklyn. There was a possibility James had attended that school, he just didn’t know, and didn’t need to look into it to satisfy his own curiosity. He just accepted that there was an inexplicable need within him to settle down in Brooklyn.

He had been worried at first, that the Department, or later HYDRA, would be aware of that, and track him down to his apartment, but so far he had seemed to have gotten away with it. James was aware that it couldn’t last forever, but he certainly was to enjoy it while it did.

It was one of the few places where James felt comfortable allowing himself to remember. It was the only place where he would actively try to remember. He didn’t remember much from Before, but he knew he had been someone different Before the Incident. He knew he had been someone Before, period. But most times he didn’t like reaching for memories from Before. It was painful and practically impossible, almost as if someone had placed some sort of mental block in his mind. But in his apartment, in his safe place, it was easier for the memories to come to James naturally, for him to reach back himself and grasp at the delicate straws that had once made up his entire life. Here, in the peaceful solitude of his apartment, associations and faint memories came back, reminders and ghosts of previous conversations. Here James’ skin crawled slightly, as remembered a familiarity when he thought of his encounter with Pierce.

Today had not been the first time he met the man.

Hearing a mewling, James glanced down and sighed, shaken out of his thoughts. He wasn’t a cat person. At all. Somehow he had always pictured himself as more of a dog person, but instead he had somehow become a foster home for cats. Kisa and Solnste didn’t really like James any more than he liked them, but he fed them regularly, and over time he had grown to tolerate their company. Angry menace though he was, he hadn’t been about to abandon the two cats when the Widow decided to defect.

“Alright, alright you brats, I’m getting you your food.” James muttered under his breath, making his way to the kitchen to grab the cans of tuna. In absolutely no time at all the cats had become far too comfortable in his apartment, and by this point James figured it wouldn’t be inaccurate to call them his children. They were whiny, needy, completely dependent on him though convinced they could do everything on their own, they broke everything, and they would be around until they died or until James’ heart really froze over and he kicked them out.

He was ready for parenting human children already.

“There you go ungrateful demons.” James grumbled as he set down the bowls of disgusting fish. Kisa just glared at him, and given her previous owner, James wouldn’t have been surprised if the cat had been taught how to raise an eyebrow in judgment, since she seemed to be doing exactly that right now. But Solnste mewled happily, rubbing his head against James’ hand, and the Quidditch player felt his irritation melt away slightly. There was a reason why he called the cat Solnste, though he couldn’t quite remember what the cat reminded him of.

Opening the fridge, James grabbed the carton of milk, before noticing the expiration date scrawled on the side, indicating it had gone bad three weeks ago. He groaned out loud, and grabbed a box of crackers, before flopping down on his couch. His cats were still busy with their food, and paid no mind as James began stuffing his face with crackers. The man stretched out on his couch, getting comfortable when he yawned. He still had plenty he needed to do, a whole workout he hadn’t yet completed, but James was tired. He had been waking up at the asscrack of dawn, and would have to do so again tomorrow. Between the encounter with Alexander Pierce, the media, the constant nightmares, the brutal training schedule, his own mind...James was tired. He was just so tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. He could do everything else later.

Merlin knew the nightmares would wake him up soon enough.

 

* * *

bvcky-barnes:

 

> okay so let’s talk about bucky barnes. right now there’s a really big argument going around the fandom, and as much as everyone hates it when people claim to be neutral parties, i really am a neutral party in this scenario. for those of you who don’t know, there are basically two sides: “protect bucky barnes” and “bucky barnes can protect himself”. a lot of people are sort of “woobifying” bucky barnes. lots of “sad lost puppy” analogies, a lot of meta about his state of mind, stuff like that. and then a lot of people are kind of upset about it, insisting that bucky has never been like that, and clearly, he seems to be doing just fine. better than fine even, he’s one of the best and most ruthless quidditch players in the world.
> 
> and i really see both sides. bucky suffered one of the worst injuries in quidditch history, and it only got worse when it turned out he had amnesia. even before that match, fans had noted that he seemed a bit down (plenty of shippers attributed it to peggy/steve dating rumors, but that’s not actually relevant) and so it’s easy to see why people want to apply the “precious cinnamon roll to protect” trope to him, i get it, i really do.
> 
> but i also get the other side. because yes, bucky barnes is a victim of a serious injury, but he’s a lot more than that. he’s a survivor. he’s built his new life, and it’s not up to us to speculate on why steve or the old howlies are not involved in it. he’s shown that he is strong that he can be absolutely brutal and terrifying on the quidditch pitch, in ways he never was before. he’s a changed man.
> 
> then again, strong doesn’t mean he’s not suffering. hell just look at steve rogers if you need more proof. my point is, i think this whole fandom argument is dumb, and i think it goes a lot deeper than bucky being “fragile” or not. people project, whether they know they’re doing it or not, and they apply “tropes” they like to their favorite characters and people, and they read in between the lines and come up with meta, but we also have to remember that bucky barnes is an actual person. he’s not a lost puppy, he’s a human being. he’s not a wall of steel, he’s a man that suffered serious mental and physical trauma. make all the “sad bucky” fanart, and write all the fics about bucky being strong and badass because it’s been almost ten years since his injury.
> 
> just please remember that being strong doesn’t mean he can’t be fragile mentally. please remember that just because you headcanon bucky as feeling very broken and lost, doesn’t mean that you should pity him or anything, because we don’t actually know how he’s feeling. just please remember that he’s a human being that seems to have had his autonomy taken away from him enough times without his dedicated fans deciding they’re the right authority on how he’s feeling and coping with an event that took place a decade ago.

#bucky barnes #meta #protect bucky barnes #bucky barnes can protect himself #fandom wars #fandom wank for ts i guess? #iql

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for taking the time to read this! If you enjoyed it, I would really appreciate any feedback or kudos, as they definitely motivate me to write faster!
> 
> I now have tumblr, so please feel free to [come cry with me about these Brooklyn boys](http://buckystevies.tumblr.com)


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